Throw someone under the bus

How it is used

Strong, informal criticism of disloyal behaviour. In formal reports, describe the specific conduct rather than relying on the accusation alone.

Example sentences

1. It is unfair to throw someone under the bus for a deadline the whole team agreed was unrealistic.

   One person is being sacrificed for a problem recognized by the group.

2. You do not need to throw someone under the bus to explain honestly why the launch was delayed.

   The speaker separates factual explanation from self-protective blame.

Common collocations

• be willing to throw someone under the bus
• refuse to throw someone under the bus

Related terms

• colleagueA person you work with, especially someone in the same company or the same profession as you.
• workplace cultureThe shared values, habits, and behavior that shape how people work, communicate, and treat each other in an organization.

More terms: Office Idioms and Phrases

• touch base
• heads-up
• on the same page
• keep me posted
• ballpark figure
• bandwidth
• circle back
• low-hanging fruit
• get the ball rolling
• back to the drawing board
• drop the ball
• on my radar