discard of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'discard of' is not correct and should not be used in written English.
The phrase you would use instead is 'discard'. For example, you could say: "I discarded my old sneakers when I bought a new pair."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

East then made the surprising discard of a low club.

The New York Times

On the club lead he made the dramatic discard of the diamond king.

The New York Times - Arts

First, a discard of a spade, which allows the declarer to discard also.

The New York Times - Arts

He hoped for an even trump split, but West's discard of a diamond made matters more difficult.

The New York Times - Arts

That was one of many factors leading to the discard of 2,644 deceased-donor kidneys in 2011.

The New York Times

After maneuvering the discard of a spade from dummy, he could collect eight trump tricks, four heart tricks and the spade ace.

The New York Times - Arts

West would have to win and lead a spade, permitting a ruff in dummy and a discard of declarer's remaining club.

The New York Times - Arts

But he could have saved the day for the defense by a dramatic discard of the club king, for his partner would then have taken two tricks.

The New York Times - Arts

After a diamond lead he would have been able to maneuver a discard of a diamond loser on a spade winner.

The New York Times

After the diamond eight and East's discard of the club seven, South must part with the spade four, not a club.

The New York Times - Arts

East had to win and lead a heart, so the heart queen provided the vital entry to dummy, allowing a discard of the diamond jack from the closed hand on a club winner.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "discard" without the preposition "of". For example, "Please discard the used paper in the recycling bin."

Common error

The phrase "discard of" is grammatically incorrect. Always use "discard" alone. For example, don't say "discard of the evidence"; instead, say "discard the evidence".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "discard of" functions as a verb phrase intended to mean to throw away or get rid of something. However, it's grammatically incorrect. According to Ludwig, the correct form is "discard".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

28%

Wiki

19%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The analysis reveals that while the phrase "discard of" appears frequently across various sources, it is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is simply "discard". As Ludwig AI confirms, it's essential to avoid using "of" after "discard". Despite its prevalence in sources like The New York Times and various scientific journals, its incorrect usage diminishes the writing's credibility. Instead, writers should opt for the single word "discard" or consider alternatives such as "get rid of" or "dispose of" to maintain grammatical accuracy and clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

discard

This is the grammatically correct form, removing the unnecessary preposition.

get rid of

This alternative emphasizes disposal or removal, focusing on eliminating something unwanted.

dispose of

Similar to "get rid of", but more formal and often used in official contexts.

throw away

This implies a more casual and immediate act of disposal.

eliminate

This option focuses on completely removing something, often an undesirable element.

remove

This term is broader and can refer to taking something away without necessarily implying it's unwanted.

scrap

This suggests discarding something because it's no longer useful or valuable.

jettison

This term is more formal and often used in contexts where something is being discarded to lighten a load or avoid danger.

dump

This implies disposing of something quickly and often carelessly.

reject

This refers to refusing to accept something, often because it doesn't meet standards.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "discard" in a sentence?

Use "discard" directly followed by the object you are throwing away, without the preposition "of". For instance, "discard the trash", not "discard of the trash".

Is it ever correct to say "discard of"?

No, the phrase "discard of" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is simply "discard".

What can I say instead of "discard of"?

Since "discard of" is incorrect, use alternatives like "discard", "get rid of", or "dispose of".

What's the difference between "discard" and "dispose of"?

"Discard" generally means to throw something away, while "dispose of" often implies a more careful or formal method of getting rid of something.