throw in the towel

Cultural  

1. To quit in defeat. The phrase comes from boxing, in which a fighter indicates surrender by throwing a towel into the ring: “After losing the election, he threw in the towel on his political career.”

---

Example Sentences

“But if the conflict drags on, gasoline prices move even higher in the summer driving season, and stocks continue to falter, consumers could throw in the towel and start to pull back on their spending.”

From Barron's

"Those at the bottom of the chain do the work and get paid last -- sometimes months later," he said, adding he was ready to throw in the towel and sell his machinery.

From Barron's

But Ellison refused to throw in the towel.

From Los Angeles Times

If you faced challenges in your business or burned out in your career, did you throw in the towel or step back and breathe, and ask what your body was telling you?

From MarketWatch

But it has long contributed to "tanking" -- lowly teams throwing in the towel long before the regular season ends in hopes of landing a franchise-altering player in the draft.

From Barron's

Related Words

• bow
• break down
• buckle
• capitulate
• cave in
• cease
• defer
• give in
• give way
• go down
• pass away
• perish
• quit
• wilt
• yield