throw the baby out with the bathwater

UK/θɹəʊ ðə ˈbeɪbi aʊt wɪð ðə ˈbɑːθwɔːtə(ɹ)/US/θɹoʊ ðə ˈbeɪbi aʊt wɪθ ðə ˈbæθwɔtɚ/

verb

To discard, inadvertently or through overzealousness, something valuable or essential ("the baby") in the process of removing or rejecting something unwanted or undesirable ("the bathwater").

“They cancelled the entire project because the new management didn't like the prototype, but I think they threw the baby out with the bathwater.”

OriginGerman das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten →
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Meanings

verbthrow the baby out with the bathwater (third-person singular simple present throws the baby out with the bathwater, present participle throwing the baby out with the bathwater, simple past threw the baby out with the bathwater, past participle thrown the baby out with the bathwater)

present singular third person throws the baby out with the bathwater · participle present throwing the baby out with the bathwater · past threw the baby out with the bathwater · participle past thrown the baby out with the bathwater · alternative throw the baby out with the bath water · alternative throw out the baby with the bathwater · alternative throw out the baby with the bath water

  1. idiomaticTo discard, inadvertently or through overzealousness, something valuable or essential ("the baby") in the process of removing or rejecting something unwanted or undesirable ("the bathwater").

    They cancelled the entire project because the new management didn't like the prototype, but I think they threw the baby out with the bathwater.

Origin

  1. Germandas Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten
  2. Englishthrow the baby out with the bathwater

Calque of German das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten, a proverb first recorded by Thomas Murner in his satire Narrenbeschwörung (1512). First appeared in English when Thomas Carlyle translated it in an essay on slavery (1849).

More words from German

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech vylít vaničku i s dítětem
  • vylít vaničku i s dítětem(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
Danish kaste barnet ud med badevandet, smide barnet ud med badevandet
  • kaste barnet ud med badevandet(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
  • smide barnet ud med badevandet(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
Dutch het kind met het badwater weggooien
  • het kind met het badwater weggooien(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
Finnish heittää lapsi pois pesuveden mukana, heittää lapsi pesuveden mukana
  • heittää lapsi pois pesuveden mukana(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
  • heittää lapsi pesuveden mukana(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
French jeter le bébé avec l'eau du bain
  • jeter le bébé avec l'eau du bain(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
German das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten
  • das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
Greek πετάω το μωρό μαζί με τα απόνερα
  • πετάω το μωρό μαζί με τα απόνερα (petáo to moró mazí me ta apónera)(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
Hebrew שפך את התינוק עם המים
  • שפך את התינוק עם המים(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
Hungarian a fürdővízzel együtt a gyereket is kiönti
  • a fürdővízzel együtt a gyereket is kiönti(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
Icelandic að kasta barninu út með baðvatninu
  • að kasta barninu út með baðvatninu(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
Irish an t-asal a dhíol leis an adhastar
  • an t-asal a dhíol leis an adhastar(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
Italian buttare il bambino con l'acqua sporca
  • buttare il bambino con l'acqua sporca(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
Norwegian Bokmål helle barnet ut med badevannet, kaste barnet ut med badevannet
  • helle barnet ut med badevannet(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
  • kaste barnet ut med badevannet(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
  • slå barnet ut med badevannet(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
Polish wylewać dziecko z kąpielą, wylać dziecko z kąpielą
  • wylewać dziecko z kąpielą(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
  • wylać dziecko z kąpielą(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
Portuguese deitar fora a criança com a água do banho, jogar fora o bebê com a água do banho
  • deitar fora a criança com a água do banho(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
  • jogar fora o bebê com a água do banho(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
Russian вме́сте с водо́й вы́плеснуть и ребёнка, вы́плеснуть ребёнка вме́сте с водо́й
  • вме́сте с водо́й вы́плеснуть и ребёнка (vméste s vodój výplesnutʹ i rebjónka)(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
  • вы́плеснуть ребёнка вме́сте с водо́й (výplesnutʹ rebjónka vméste s vodój)(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
Swedish kasta ut barnet med badvattnet
  • kasta ut barnet med badvattnet(idiomatic) to discard the valuable along with the unwanted
Cite this entry
APA

throw the baby out with the bathwater. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/throw%20the%20baby%20out%20with%20the%20bathwater

MLA

“throw the baby out with the bathwater.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/throw%20the%20baby%20out%20with%20the%20bathwater. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “throw the baby out with the bathwater,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/throw%20the%20baby%20out%20with%20the%20bathwater.

Source: throw the baby out with the bathwater on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.