throwing in the towel
Admitting total defeat
Throwing in the towel is admitting defeat or giving up on an effort.
The phrase comes from boxing, where a fighter's corner literally throws a towel into the ring to stop the bout and spare their boxer further punishment.
Outside the ring, it signals surrender after sustained struggle: After months of failed negotiations, we finally threw in the towel.
- giving upChoosing to stop trying
- calling it quitsEnding an endeavor permanently
- white flagSignal of capitulation
- quitCease doing something
- capitulationComplete yielding to demands
raising the white flag · cry uncle · admitting defeat · boxing ring · concede · surrender · tapping out · discouragement · resignation · demoralization · exhaustion · forfeit · yielding · defeatism · acceptance · stepping aside · bowing out · walking away
- surrendersurrender, surrenders, surrendering, I surrender, capitulate
throwing in the towelpersevering
Maintaining effort despite difficulty
pressing on · soldiering on · hanging in there · sticking it out · doubling down
throwing in the towelnever say die
Refusal to surrender
rallying · bouncing back · rising to the occasion · coming out swinging · getting back up
throw, throwing, thrown, throws, thrower, towel, towels, toweling, toweled