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throw in the towel

to give up

In Idioms & Sayings

In more detail

(idiom) to stop trying; to give up or admit defeat

Examples

• After months of struggling with the business, he decided to throw in the towel.

How to use throw in the towel

This idiom, derived from boxing where a towel thrown into the ring signals surrender, is used to describe abandoning effort or accepting failure in any context. It carries a tone of resignation but also often relief, and is commonly used in both personal and professional situations when someone decides to stop struggling against odds they find insurmountable.

Register: informal

Common phrases

• throw in the towel on something
• finally throw in the towel
• decide to throw in the towel
• throw in the towel and admit defeat

Synonyms

give up · surrender · quit · concede defeat · admit defeat

Opposites

persist · persevere · keep fighting

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse this with 'throw in the sponge,' which is a less common variant but means the same thing; the more established form is 'throw in the towel.'

Nearby in Idioms & Sayings

a blessing in disguise, miss the boat, on the fence, go the extra mile, cry over spilled milk, the last straw

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained