chuck

chuck — verb

1. to throw something in a relaxed, casual way, without aiming carefully or worryin

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to throw something in a relaxed, casual way, without aiming carefully or worrying about where it lands

Example

Ravi chucked his coat onto the sofa as soon as he walked in.

chuck + onto [surface]

Leila picked up a smooth pebble and chucked it into the garden pond.

chuck + into [place]

Common collocations
  • chuck a coat/hat/bag onto something
  • chuck a ball/stone/pebble
  • chuck something into the bin/pond/river
Synonyms
  • toss

    lighter and often more deliberate; used for short-distance throwing

  • fling

    more forceful or emotional; suggests anger or excitement

  • hurl

    thrown with great force, often to cause an impact

Antonyms
  • catch

    to receive something thrown

Grammar Patterns

chuck + object + adverb/preposition

chuck + object + to + person

Usage Note

Often paired with adverbs like away, aside, down or prepositions like into, onto, out of, at, to that indicate direction or destination.

Common Mistakes

He chucked the ball carefully into the hoop.
He tossed the ball carefully into the hoop.
'Chuck' suggests a relaxed, not careful, action.

2. to throw unwanted things into the rubbish because you no longer need them

2.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to throw unwanted things into the rubbish because you no longer need them

Example

Yara finally chucked her worn-out trainers after the marathon.

chuck [worn-out object]

The librarian chucked the damaged books into a large recycling bin.

Common collocations
  • chuck old clothes/shoes/magazines
  • chuck something away
  • chuck something in the bin
Synonyms
  • throw away

    neutral register; the standard alternative

  • discard

    more formal; common in instructions

  • dump

    suggests getting rid of something in a careless or hurried way

Antonyms
  • keep

    to retain something rather than discard it

  • save

    to store something for future use

Grammar Patterns

chuck + object

chuck + object + away

Usage Note

More informal than throw away or discard. Common in everyday spoken English but too casual for formal writing or instructions.

Common Mistakes

Please chuck the confidential files.
Please shred the confidential files.
'Chuck' is too casual for formal or sensitive contexts.

3. to stop doing an activity or leave a job, especially because you are tired or di

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to stop doing an activity or leave a job, especially because you are tired or dissatisfied

Example

Noa chucked her banking job and moved to a small village in Wales.

chuck + job/profession

Rashida chucked her part-time work at the café when she got into art school.

chuck + work at [place]

Common collocations
  • chuck a job/career
  • chuck a course/lessons
  • chuck it all in
Synonyms
  • quit

    neutral register; the standard alternative

  • give up

    slightly more emphatic; can imply defeat

  • pack in

    British informal equivalent

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

chuck + object

chuck + something + in

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 2 (DISCARD): this sense always refers to ending an activity, job, or lifestyle — never to throwing away physical objects.

4. to stop being romantically involved with a partner, often in an abrupt or hurtfu

4.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to stop being romantically involved with a partner, often in an abrupt or hurtful manner

Example

Hana chucked her boyfriend after she discovered he had lied to her.

chuck + [partner] + reason clause

Kofi felt crushed when his girlfriend chucked him without any explanation.

get chucked — passive construction

Common collocations
  • chuck a boyfriend/girlfriend
  • chuck a partner/fiancé
  • get chucked by someone
Synonyms
  • dump

    equally informal; very common in spoken English

  • break up with

    neutral register; the standard alternative

  • leave

    more general; can also mean ending a marriage

Antonyms
  • stay with

    to continue a relationship

  • date

    to be in a romantic relationship with someone

Grammar Patterns

chuck + person

get chucked

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 3 (GIVE UP): this sense takes a person as its object, not an activity. When used of a person, the meaning is always romantic breakup.

Common Mistakes

She chucked her friend for being late.
She stopped being friends with her friend for being late.
'Chuck' (end relationship) only applies to romantic partners, not friends or family.
Phrasal verbs

chuck away

phrasal verb

to get rid of something by throwing it in the rubbish, often without giving it much thought

Priya found an old camera in the drawer and chucked it away without checking if it worked.

chuck out

phrasal verb

to remove something unwanted or force someone to leave a place

The landlord chucked out the old furniture after the tenant moved out.

The security guard chucked out a group of noisy teenagers from the cinema.

chuck in

phrasal verb

to give up or stop doing something, especially a job or an activity

After ten years of teaching, Farouk decided to chuck it in and travel the world.

chuck off

phrasal verb

To remove something quickly, especially clothing.

Maya chucked off her wet coat as soon as she entered.

He chucked off his shoes and jumped into the pool.

Idioms

chuck somebody under the chin

idiom

to gently touch or tap someone under the chin with your hand as a sign of affection, especially toward a child

Grandma smiled at little Mira and chucked her under the chin.

it is chucking it down

idiom

used in British English to say that it is raining very heavily

We cannot go out for a walk — it is chucking it down out there.

it’s chucking it down

idiom

It is raining very hard.

We stayed inside because it was chucking it down outside.

Is it chucking it down? I forgot my umbrella.

chuck — noun

Word family

  • chucker
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Chuck is an informal alternative to throw, suggesting a relaxed, almost careless motion without much aim or effort. Toss is similarly casual but usually implies a lighter, shorter-distance movement, like tossing a coin to a friend. Fling suggests more force or emotion — you fling something when you are angry or excited, such as flinging a pillow across the room. Hurl is the strongest of the group, meaning to throw with great force, often at a target, like hurling a stone at a window. While throw works in any register, chuck is distinctly informal and more common in everyday spoken British English. For example: Ravi chucked his coat on the sofa (casual), but would not chuck a glass across a room (use fling or hurl for that).

throw ↗toss ↗fling ↗hurl ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • chuck it all in
  • chuck something away
  • chuck someone out

Prepositions

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The verb meaning 'to throw casually' appeared in English in the late 1500s. Its exact origin is unclear — it may come from an old French word 'chuquer' meaning 'to knock' or 'to strike'. The use of 'chuck' as a friendly term of address dates from the 1500s and may be a shortened form of 'chicken', used as a term of endearment. The machine part called a 'chuck' (1700s) comes from a different source — probably a variant of 'chock', meaning a block or wedge used to hold something in place.