Meaning & use
throw my hat in
Last updated
Meaning
phraseidiominformal
to announce that you will compete for a position, prize, or role.
Grammar: Used with a possessive adjective: throw my/your/his hat in. Often followed by 'the ring' or 'for something'.
Patterns
- throw my hat in the ring
- throw your hat in for something
- throw your hat into the ring
After months of speculation, she finally threw her hat in the ring for the mayor's seat.
He decided to throw his hat in for the manager's job.
Several candidates have already thrown their hats in.
Common combinations
- throw your hat in the ring
- She threw her hat in the ring for the Senate race.
- throw your hat in for something
- He threw his hat in for the team captaincy.
- throw your hat into the ring
- They threw their hats into the ring early.
- decide to throw your hat in
- After much thought, he decided to throw his hat in.
Synonyms and how they differ
- enter the race
- More formal and general; used for any competition, not just politics.
- stand for election
- Specifically about running for a political office; more formal.
Opposites
Commonly confused: throw my hat in or throw in the towel?
throw my hat in vs throw in the towel
Means to give up or admit defeat, the opposite of competing. Don't confuse the two.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'throw my hat in' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Throw my hat in the ring' is the idiom meaning to compete. The other options are literal uses of throwing a hat, not the idiom.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “throw my hat in”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.