Throw apart

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "throw apart" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is a verb phrase which means to separate or cause to be separated forcefully. For example: "The strong winds threw the trees apart, leaving them scattered across the field."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

New York City and Los Angeles could end their foolish competition by beaming Palm Pilots at one another and recognizing that they're really only a cell phone's throw apart.

The New York Times

Within Israel/Palestine alone there are several accents and dialects, sometimes literally a stone's throw apart.

The Economist

Yet they lived in palatial splendor a stone's throw apart, the approximate distance between their flagship salons, in the East Fifties.

The New Yorker

Lil and Roz, Watts and Wright respectively, have grown up together, married and live in houses only a stone's throw apart.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"When traditional links have been destroyed, when society is destroyed, when so many people have been thrown apart, when morally it is impossible to understand such conditions, it is difficult to establish the forces of social unity" -- forces, she said, that once held Chechen society together.

The New York Times

"He was said not only to beat children but to eat them, tear them apart, throw them in frozen lakes, or drag them down to hell..

Vice

Some time ago, I wrote a post about a TED talk in which the speaker recommended that parents allow their children to engage in risky behavior, for example, play with fire, own a pocket knife, throw spears, take apart appliances and drive a car.

Huffington Post

If the tea bag starts to come apart, throw it away and use another.

WikiHow

If a toy gets old and is falling apart, throw it out and get a new one to replace it.

WikiHow

For children too delicate to practice martial arts physically, he devised a noncontact game called "virtual karate," in which the two fighters stand apart and throw air punches and kicks.

The New York Times

If Lebanon's proposals are not incorporated in some significant way, France fears the fragile Beirut government will break apart and throw Lebanon into political chaos, making a resolution far more difficult, the officials say.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "Throw apart", ensure the context clearly indicates a forceful or violent separation. Consider stronger verbs like 'rip' or 'tear' if greater emphasis is needed.

Common error

Avoid using "Throw apart" in abstract or metaphorical contexts where a less forceful verb would be more appropriate. For example, instead of saying 'The argument threw their friendship apart,' consider 'The argument strained their friendship'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "Throw apart" functions as a verb phrase, indicating an action of forcefully separating or dispersing something. Ludwig AI indicates it's a usable phrase in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

40%

Science

0%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "Throw apart" is a verb phrase used to describe a forceful separation or disintegration. While considered grammatically correct and usable according to Ludwig AI, it's relatively rare in usage. Its primary contexts are News & Media and Wiki sources. When using this phrase, clarity and emphasis on the forceful nature of the separation are crucial. Alternatives like "rip apart" or "tear asunder" may provide a stronger emphasis, depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Tear asunder

Emphasizes violent separation into pieces.

Rip apart

Suggests a forceful tearing into separate pieces.

Break asunder

Indicates a breaking into separate parts with force.

Cast asunder

Conveys a sense of scattering or dispersing widely.

Split apart

Implies a splitting into two or more separate entities.

Force apart

Highlights the use of force to cause separation.

Drive asunder

Emphasizes the act of forcefully driving things in different directions.

Scatter

Focuses on distributing items or entities in a random manner.

Disperse

Suggests a spreading out or diffusion of something.

Separate forcefully

Explicitly states the use of force in the separation process.

FAQs

How can I use "Throw apart" in a sentence?

You can use "Throw apart" to describe a forceful separation. For example: "The explosion threw the building "apart"".

What are some alternatives to "Throw apart"?

Some alternatives to "Throw apart" include "rip apart", "tear asunder", or "split apart", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "Throw apart" formal or informal?

"Throw apart" can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although it's more common in descriptive or narrative writing rather than highly formal academic prose.

Which is more appropriate, "Throw apart" or "Fall apart"?

"Throw apart" implies an external force causing separation, while "Fall apart" suggests disintegration due to internal weakness or decay. Choose based on whether the separation is caused by an outside force or inherent instability.