threw up the sponge

A form of throw up the sponge — To give up a contest; to acknowledge defeat; to throw in the towel.

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Meanings

verb
  1. pastsimple past of throw up the sponge
Cite this entry
APA

threw up the sponge. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/threw%20up%20the%20sponge

MLA

“threw up the sponge.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/threw%20up%20the%20sponge. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “threw up the sponge,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/threw%20up%20the%20sponge.

Source: threw up the sponge on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.