Everyday Office Jargon · Vice President level

"Throw under the bus"

"Throw under the bus" means to blame someone else for a failure or problem, usually to protect your own reputation.

Say this instead: blame someone else

How "Throw under the bus" shows up at work

One of the most widely recognized phrases in office culture because it describes something that happens constantly and that everyone agrees is wrong. Its frequency in retrospective meetings suggests the bus has a very high ridership.

Buzzword

He completely threw under the bus everyone who had flagged the risk months ago.

Plain English

He blamed everyone who had flagged the risk months ago, ignoring that they tried to warn him.

Corporate Rank: Vice President  ·  Category: Everyday Office Jargon

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