discard

discard — verb

1. to treat something as no longer useful and either throw it away or stop using it

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to treat something as no longer useful and either throw it away or stop using it permanently

Example

Lien discarded her old coat after the zipper broke beyond repair.

discard + possession (old/unwanted item)

The factory foreman told workers to discard any parts that had cracks or rust.

passive instruction: told to discard

Common collocations
  • discard old clothes
  • discard damaged goods
  • discard spoiled food
  • discard unnecessary items
Synonyms
  • throw away

    more informal and common in everyday speech

  • dispose of

    slightly more formal, often used for waste management

  • get rid of

    general-purpose phrasal verb, neutral in tone

Antonyms
  • keep

    to continue to have something instead of throwing it out

  • preserve

    to keep something in its existing state, often with care

Grammar Patterns

discard + object

Usage Note

Object is typically something tangible (clothes, food, equipment) but can also be abstract (a plan, an idea, a habit).

Common Mistakes

I discarded the garbage in the bin.
I threw away the garbage in the bin.
'discard' sounds overly formal for everyday household trash; 'throw away' is more natural.

2. when playing a card game, to choose an unwanted card from your hand and set it a

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

when playing a card game, to choose an unwanted card from your hand and set it aside

Example

Paloma discarded two hearts and drew fresh cards from the deck.

discard + [suit/card type] in a card game

In rummy, you must discard one card at the end of each turn.

intransitive use: must discard

Common collocations
  • discard a card
  • discard from your hand
  • discard a suit
  • discard before drawing
Synonyms
  • play

    broader meaning; you can play a card without discarding it

  • lay down

    informal, means to place a card on the table

  • dump

    very informal, often used among friends in casual card games

Antonyms
  • keep

    to hold onto a card instead of getting rid of it

  • draw

    to take a card from the deck, the opposite action

Grammar Patterns

discard + [card type or suit]

discard (no object)

Usage Note

Frequently used without an object when the removed card is obvious from context (e.g. 'It's your turn — discard.').

discard — noun

Word family

  • discarded
    adjectiveB2
  • discarding
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Discard' sits between formal and neutral — it is common in writing and instructions but less typical in casual conversation. 'Throw away' is the everyday alternative: you throw away spoiled food or old newspapers without sounding stiff. 'Dispose of' carries official or technical weight, often used for waste management or hazardous materials ('dispose of batteries properly'). 'Get rid of' is the most flexible across registers and can apply to both objects and abstract things (a problem, a bad habit). Finally, 'dump' is informal and implies doing it carelessly or in large quantity ('dump old furniture by the roadside'). In a sentence: you would 'throw away' a broken pen, 'discard' a draft document, and 'dispose of' medical waste according to regulations.

discard ↗throw away ↗dispose of ↗get rid ofdump ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • discard clothes
  • discard food
  • discard equipment
  • discard documents
  • discard cards

Adverbs

  • discard completely
  • discard immediately
  • discard safely
  • discard properly

Phrases

  • discard as useless
  • discard as unwanted
  • discard without hesitation
  • decide to discard

Prepositions

  • discard from
  • discard in
  • discard into

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

'Discard' comes from the combination of the prefix 'dis-' (meaning 'away' or 'apart') and the French word 'carte' (meaning 'card'). It originally referred to the act of throwing away unwanted playing cards in the 1500s. Over time, the meaning broadened to include getting rid of anything no longer wanted, not just cards.