General

throw under the bus

What does throw under the bus mean?

To publicly shift blame onto someone else, betraying them to protect oneself.

"He threw the whole team under the bus in front of the client."

1980s idiom of uncertain origin implying betrayal.

What does 'throw under the bus' mean?

It means to betray someone by publicly blaming or sacrificing them so you can protect yourself or look better.

How do you use it in a sentence?

Usually with a person as the object, e.g. 'She threw her assistant under the bus to avoid taking the fall.'

Is it an insult?

It's not a slur, but it describes disloyal behaviour, so calling out someone for doing it is a criticism.

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