throwing in the sponge
Admitting total defeat
Throwing in the sponge means giving up or admitting defeat.
The phrase comes from boxing, where a fighter's corner would toss a sponge into the ring to signal surrender.
Now used broadly for any situation where someone abandons an effort: After six months of failed negotiations, the company threw in the sponge.
The variant "throwing in the towel" is more common today.
- giving up the ghostDying or stopping permanently
- resignationVoluntary relinquishment of position
- hopelessnessState without hope
- losing heartBecoming discouraged or demoralized
- discouragementLoss of confidence
raising the white flag · crying uncle · despair · burnout · disillusionment · biting the dust · frustration · defeatism · white flag · conceding · admitting defeat · tapping out · capitulation · quitting · calling it quits · forfeit · apathy · inertia
throwing in the spongepersevering
Maintaining effort despite difficulty
soldiering on · pressing on · sticking it out · hanging in there · pushing through
throwing in the spongenever say die
Refusal to surrender
standing your ground · holding out · coming out swinging · rallying · defiance
throw, throwing, throws, thrown, thrower, sponge, sponges, spongy, sponged