throw (under the bus/to the wolves)
Meaning(s)
1. falsely or unfairly assign total blame to someone else for something
Popularity
Medium
Professional
Medium
Social
How to Memorize
throw someone under the bus/to the wolves to avoid getting in trouble
Analysis
To 'throw someone under a bus' means to betray someone for selfish reasons. When you 'throw someone under a bus' you put someone in a harmful or compromising situation in order to gain advantage or to make yourself look good. To 'throw someone to the wolves' means to leave someone in a position where they can be mistreated or criticized without making any attempt to help them or prevent them from harm. If you 'throw someone to the wolves' it can mean to sacrifice someone in order to save yourself.
Professional Examples (Advance)
- Alex totally threw me under the bus by going behind my back and telling the boss that the error was all my fault even though we were both equally to blame.
- Fiona is very ambitious. I know she would throw me to the wolves without a second thought if she believed it would help her get ahead at the company.
- My department manager is both disliked and distrusted by her staff. Everyone knows that if something goes wrong she will throw one of us under the bus to ensure she avoids any criticism from further up the food chain.
Social Examples (Advance)
- The first day in my new school was scary. I felt like I was being thrown to the wolves.
- I didn't mean to throw you under the bus, but when the teacher asked if you had copied my homework I had to tell the truth.