The phrase 'throws in the towel' is an idiom that means to give up or abandon a situation. It is often used in sports when a fighter or athlete has been defeated and decides to stop competing. The crossword solutions for this phrase are GIVES (5 letters), RESIGNS (7 letters), CONCEDES (8 letters), and QUITS (5 letters). All of these words have similar meanings, but each one implies a slightly different action. Gives implies that something is being given away, RESIGNS implies that someone is leaving a position, CONCEDES implies that someone is admitting defeat, and quits implies that someone is stopping an activity.