Toss vs. Fling — What's the Difference?
By Fiza Rafique & Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 19, 2024
Toss is a casual, gentle throw, while fling is a forceful, hasty throw, often with less control.
Difference Between Toss and Fling
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Toss refers to a casual, light throw, often used in informal situations. It implies a gentle action, such as tossing a ball to a friend. Fling, on the other hand, denotes a more forceful, abrupt throw, usually done with less precision and more emotion, like flinging a stone into a lake.
Tossing is typically controlled and aimed, reflecting an intention to gently move an object a short distance. For example, you might toss a coin to make a decision. Flinging suggests a more impulsive action, often driven by emotion or haste, and the object may travel unpredictably. You might fling a book onto a couch in frustration.
In sports, tossing is often used to describe a soft pass or serve, like in basketball or volleyball, where precision and ease are key. Flinging, however, is more about using significant force and often applies to situations where speed and distance are prioritized over accuracy, such as in track and field events like the javelin throw.
While toss is generally associated with a positive or neutral context, implying care or fun, fling can have a more negative or intense connotation, indicating a lack of concern for the object's landing or condition.
In everyday usage, you might toss your keys onto a table when you get home, indicating a relaxed and routine action. Conversely, you might fling your clothes onto the bed in a hurry, showing a more careless and rushed behavior.
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Comparison Chart
Force
Gentle, light
Forceful, abrupt
Control
Controlled, aimed
Less controlled, often impulsive
Context
Casual, informal
Emotional, hasty
Distance
Short, moderate
Can be long, unpredictable
Connotation
Neutral, positive
Negative, intense
Compare with Definitions
Toss
To throw lightly or casually.
She tossed the ball to her friend.
Fling
To throw with force or recklessness.
He flung the stone into the river.
Toss
To mix lightly with a dressing.
Toss the salad before serving.
Fling
To throw oneself into an activity with abandon.
She flung herself into her studies.
Toss
To throw in a way to decide something.
They tossed a coin to see who goes first.
Fling
To move quickly and forcefully.
He flung open the door.
Toss
To shake or agitate.
The horse tossed its mane.
Fling
To cast aside or discard.
She flung the old clothes into a pile.
Toss
To throw lightly or casually or with a sudden jerk
Tossed the shirt on the floor.
Fling
To hurl or cast violently.
The storm flung debris across the yard.
Toss
To throw or propel upward
The bull tossed him over the fence.
Fling
Throw or hurl forcefully
I was flung into jail
He picked up the debris and flung it away
She flung herself down on his bed
Toss
To throw or propel to the ground
The horse tossed its rider.
Fling
A short period of enjoyment or wild behaviour
One final fling before a tranquil retirement
Toss
To cause to move from side to side or up and down
Boats that were tossed by the storm.
Fling
Short for Highland fling
Toss
To move or lift (the head) with a sudden motion.
Fling
To throw with violence
Flung the dish against the wall.
Toss
To mix (food) lightly so as to cover with dressing or sauce
Toss a salad.
Fling
To put or send suddenly or unexpectedly
Troops that were flung into battle.
Toss
To discuss informally; bandy
Tossed the idea around.
Fling
To engage (oneself) in an activity with abandon and energy.
Toss
To flip (coins) in order to decide an issue.
Fling
To cast aside; discard
Fling propriety away.
Toss
To flip coins with
I'll toss you to see who goes first.
Fling
To move quickly, violently, or impulsively
He flung out of the room.
Toss
To put in a given position, condition, or situation
Tossed the suspect in jail.
Fling
The act of flinging.
Toss
To throw away; discard
I tossed the newspaper after reading it.
Fling
A brief period of indulging one's impulses.
Toss
To disqualify or eject
The starter was tossed for throwing illegal pitches.
Fling
(Informal) A usually brief attempt or effort
You take a fling at it.
Toss
To be thrown here and there; be flung to and fro or up and down
The canoe tossed about on the waves.
Fling
A brief, casual sexual or romantic relationship.
Toss
To move about restlessly; twist and turn
Toss in one's sleep.
Fling
An act of throwing, often violently.
Toss
To flip a coin to decide an issue.
Fling
An act of moving the limbs or body with violent movements, especially in a dance.
The fling of a horse
Toss
The act of tossing something
The toss of a hat.
Fling
An act or period of unrestrained indulgence.
Toss
The distance that something is or can be tossed.
Fling
A short romantic, oftentimes sexual, relationship.
I had a fling with a girl I met on holiday.
Toss
An abrupt upward movement, as of the head.
Fling
(figuratively) An attempt, a try (as in "give it a fling").
Toss
A flipping of a coin to decide an issue
The home team won the toss and elected to receive.
Fling
(obsolete) A severe or contemptuous remark; an expression of sarcastic scorn; a gibe or taunt.
Toss
A throw, a lob, of a ball etc., with an initial upward direction, particularly with a lack of care.
Fling
A lively Scottish country dance.
The Highland fling
Toss
The coin toss before a cricket match in order to decide who bats first, or before a football match in order to decide the direction of play.
Fling
(obsolete) A trifling matter; an object of contempt.
Toss
A haughty throwing up of the head.
Fling
To move (oneself) abruptly or violently; to rush or dash.
Toss
(British slang) A jot, in the phrase 'give a toss'.
I couldn't give a toss about her.
Fling
(transitive) To throw with violence or quick movement; to hurl.
Toss
(British slang) A state of agitation; commotion.
Fling
To throw; to wince; to flounce.
Toss
Concern or consideration.
I don't give a toss.
Fling
To utter abusive language; to sneer.
The scold began to flout and fling.
Toss
A measure of sprats.
Fling
To cast, send, to throw from the hand; to hurl; to dart; to emit with violence as if thrown from the hand; as, to fing a stone into the pond.
'T is Fate that flings the dice: and, as she flings,Of kings makes peasants, and of peasants kings.
He . . . like Jove, his lighting flung.
I know thy generous temper well.Fling but the appearance of dishonor on it,It straight takes fire.
Toss
To throw with an initial upward direction.
Toss it over here!
Fling
To shed forth; to emit; to scatter.
The sun begins to flingHis flaring beams.
Every beam new transient colors flings.
Toss
To lift with a sudden or violent motion.
To toss the head
Fling
To throw; to hurl; to throw off or down; to prostrate; hence, to baffle; to defeat; as, to fling a party in litigation.
His horse started, flung him, and fell upon him.
Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition.
This question so flung down before the guests, . . . Was handed over by consent of allTo me who had not spoken.
Toss
To agitate; to make restless.
Fling
To throw; to wince; to flounce; as, the horse began to kick and fling.
Toss
To subject to trials; to harass.
Fling
To cast in the teeth; to utter abusive language; to sneer; as, the scold began to flout and fling.
Toss
To flip a coin, to decide a point of contention.
We should toss for it.
I'll toss you for it.
Fling
To throw one's self in a violent or hasty manner; to rush or spring with violence or haste.
And crop-full, out of doors he flings.
I flung closer to his breast,As sword that, after battle, flings to sheath.
Toss
To discard; to throw away.
I don't need it any more; you can just toss it.
Fling
A cast from the hand; a throw; also, a flounce; a kick; as, the fling of a horse.
Toss
To stir or mix (a salad).
To toss a salad; a tossed salad.
Fling
A severe or contemptuous remark; an expression of sarcastic scorn; a gibe; a sarcasm.
I, who love to have a fling,Both at senate house and king.
Toss
(British slang) To masturbate
Fling
A kind of dance; as, the Highland fling.
Toss
To search (a room or a cell), sometimes leaving visible disorder, as for valuables or evidence of a crime.
Fling
A trifing matter; an object of contempt.
England were but a flingSave for the crooked stick and the gray goose wing.
Toss
(intransitive) To roll and tumble; to be in violent commotion.
Tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep
Fling
A short period during which one indulges one's wishes, whims, or desires in an unrestrained manner.
Toss
(intransitive) To be tossed, as a fleet on the ocean, or as a ship in heavy seas.
Fling
A love affair.
Toss
(obsolete) To keep in play; to tumble over.
Fling
A casual or brief attempt to accomplish something.
Toss
(rowing) To peak (the oars), to lift them from the rowlocks and hold them perpendicularly, the handle resting on the bottom of the boat.
Fling
A period during which one tries a new activity; as, he took a fling at playing tennis.
Toss
(British slang) To drink in large draughts; to gulp.
Fling
A usually brief attempt;
He took a crack at it
I gave it a whirl
Toss
To vomit.
Fling
A brief indulgence of your impulses
Toss
To throw with the hand; especially, to throw with the palm of the hand upward, or to throw upward; as, to toss a ball.
Fling
The act of flinging
Toss
To lift or throw up with a sudden or violent motion; as, to toss the head.
He tossed his arm aloft, and proudly told me,He would not stay.
Fling
Throw with force or recklessness;
Fling the frisbee
Toss
To cause to rise and fall; as, a ship tossed on the waves in a storm.
We being exceedingly tossed with a tempest.
Fling
Move in an abrupt or headlong manner;
He flung himself onto the sofa
Toss
To agitate; to make restless.
Calm region once,And full of peace, now tossed and turbulent.
Fling
Indulge oneself;
I splurged on a new TV
Toss
Hence, to try; to harass.
Whom devils fly, thus is he tossed of men.
Fling
Throw or cast away;
Put away your worries
Toss
To keep in play; to tumble over; as, to spend four years in tossing the rules of grammar.
Toss
To roll and tumble; to be in violent commotion; to write; to fling.
To toss and fling, and to be restless, only frets and enrages our pain.
Toss
To be tossed, as a fleet on the ocean.
Toss
A throwing upward, or with a jerk; the act of tossing; as, the toss of a ball.
Toss
A throwing up of the head; a particular manner of raising the head with a jerk.
Toss
The act of flipping a coin
Toss
(sports) the act of throwing the ball to another member of your team;
The pass was fumbled
Toss
An abrupt movement;
A toss of his head
Toss
Throw or toss with a light motion;
Flip me the beachball
Toss me newspaper
Toss
Lightly throw to see which side comes up;
I don't know what to do--I may as well flip a coin!
Toss
Throw carelessly;
Chuck the ball
Toss
Move or stir about violently;
The feverish patient thrashed around in his bed
Toss
Throw or cast away;
Put away your worries
Toss
Agitate;
Toss the salad
Toss
To move or throw about aimlessly.
The waves tossed the boat.
Common Curiosities
Can toss be used in sports?
Yes, toss is commonly used in sports for light throws or passes.
What does toss mean?
Toss means to throw something lightly or casually.
What is the connotation of toss?
Toss has a neutral or positive connotation.
What is the connotation of fling?
Fling often has a negative or intense connotation.
Would you toss or fling open a door in anger?
You would fling open a door in anger.
Is flinging controlled or impulsive?
Flinging is often impulsive and less controlled.
Would you toss or fling clothes in a hurry?
You might fling clothes in a hurry.
What does fling mean?
Fling means to throw something with force and often without much control.
Is tossing gentle or forceful?
Tossing is generally gentle.
Would you toss or fling keys to a friend?
You would likely toss the keys to a friend.
Can fling be used to describe emotional actions?
Yes, fling often implies an emotional or hasty action.
Is tossing typically aimed or random?
Tossing is typically aimed and controlled.
Is flinging precise or unpredictable?
Flinging is often unpredictable and less precise.
Is a toss or fling more likely to be used in a negative context?
A fling is more likely to be used in a negative context.
Would you toss or fling a salad?
You would toss a salad.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
