throw someone under the bus

Meaning

This idiomatic expression means to betray a friend, colleague, or ally for personal gain or to avoid blame. It involves sacrificing someone else's reputation or standing to save yourself from trouble. It carries a strong negative connotation of selfishness and disloyalty.

Examples

• I couldn't believe it when Mark threw me under the bus during the team meeting.

  I couldn't believe it when Mark threw me under the bus during the team meeting.

• Instead of taking responsibility for the mistake, the manager threw his assistant under the bus.

  Instead of taking responsibility for the mistake, the manager threw his assistant under the bus.

• She decided to throw her co-worker under the bus just to get the promotion.

  She decided to throw her co-worker under the bus just to get the promotion.

• Don't throw me under the bus when the boss asks why the project is late.

  Don't throw me under the bus when the boss asks why the project is late.

• They were supposed to be best friends, but he threw her under the bus to protect his own reputation.

  They were supposed to be best friends, but he threw her under the bus to protect his own reputation.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ He threw me below the bus to save his job.

  ✓ He threw me under the bus to save his job.

  The correct idiom uses the preposition 'under', not 'below' or 'beneath'.

• ✗ She put her friend under the bus during the discussion.

  ✓ She threw her friend under the bus during the discussion.

  The verb in this idiom is strictly 'throw', not 'put' or 'push'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I thought we were a team, but you totally ___ when the client complained.

  💡 betrayed me to avoid blame (past tense, first-person object)

  Show answer

  threw me under the bus

• In politics, allies will often ___ to protect their own careers.

  💡 betray one another for personal gain

  Show answer

  throw each other under the bus