Throw vs. Toss

'Throw' and 'toss' signify similar actions but they differ in terms of level of force used in the action. Follow the lesson to learn their difference.

What is the difference between 'throw' and 'toss'?

Both 'throw' and 'toss' mean to make something move through the air by a movement of your hand. However, 'toss' is used to indicate a gentler and more careless act than throw. This lesson will discuss the difference between these two verbs.

Level of Force

'Throw' generally refers to the act of forcefully sending an object through the air using an arm or hand motion. It often implies a stronger action, involving greater force or distance. 'Toss' typically describes a lighter, gentler, and more casual action of making an object move through the air. It involves a swift and usually short movement of the arm or hand, often with less force or distance compared to throwing. Additionally, 'toss' typically implies an intention for the object to land in a particular spot, while 'throw' can involve making something move to an unknown destination. Here are some examples:

The magician threw a deck of cards into the air, and they scattered in every direction.

He threw the ball across the field.

He tossed the ball to Anna.

As you can see, 'toss' implies a shorter distance and a particular landing spot

She tossed the book onto her bed and got up.

Tip!

Both 'throw' and 'toss' are ditransitive verbs that take a direct and an indirect object. For example:

Throw me the keys.

Here, 'me' is the indirect object and 'the keys' is the direct object

I tossed her the ball.

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