throw someone under the bus
Meaning
To sacrifice or betray someone to protect yourself or gain advantage, especially by blaming them publicly.
Origin
A modern metaphor: pushing someone into the path of danger to save yourself. It became common in late-20th/early-21st-century political and business commentary, implying cynical self-preservation.
Notes
Strongly negative: implies cynical betrayal/blame-shifting to save oneself. Common in workplace/politics. Can be accusatory, so use carefully.
Examples
-
When the project failed, he threw his teammate under the bus to protect his own reputation.
-
I can't believe she threw me under the bus in the meeting and claimed the mistake was mine.
-
The manager threw the interns under the bus instead of admitting the plan was unrealistic.
-
If you throw your friends under the bus every time things go wrong, no one will trust you.
-
He felt betrayed when his colleague threw him under the bus to impress the boss.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Fixed pattern: throw + person + under the bus. Tense changes (threw/has thrown) are fine. Pronouns common (throw me/you/him under the bus). Often used with βtoβ clauses: ββ¦to save himself.β
Synonyms
- betray someone
- sell someone out
- scapegoat someone
- shift the blame
- hang someone out to dry
Antonyms
- take responsibility
- stand up for someone
- back someone up
- defend someone