Word.ws English Dictionary

throw a curve

throw a curve is the alternative form of throw someone a curve.

Meaning of throw someone a curve

Verb

throw someone a curve (third-person singular simple present throws someone a curve, present participle throwing someone a curve, simple past threw someone a curve, past participle thrown someone a curve)

  1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: To pitch a curve ball.
  2. (figuratively) To surprise; to introduce something unexpected or requiring a quick reaction or correction.
    • He really threw me a curve when he asked me a personal question at work.

Forms of throw a curve

third-person singular presentthrows a curve
present participlethrowing a curve
pastthrew a curve
past participlethrown a curve

Questions about throw a curve

What is throw a curve the alternative form of?
Throw a curve is the alternative form of throw someone a curve.

Words near throw a curve in the dictionary

  1. throupling
  2. throuplings
  3. throve
  4. throw
  5. throw a bone to
  6. throw a curve
  7. throw a fit
  8. throw a kiss
  9. throw a mickey
  10. throw a monkey wrench in the works
  11. throw a monkey wrench into the works

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: throw a curve (page history and authors); throw someone a curve (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this entry: “throw a curve.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/throw_a_curve. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.