throw up

verb

threw up; thrown up; throwing up; throws up

transitive verb

1
: vomit
2
: to raise quickly
3
: to build hurriedly
new houses thrown up almost overnight
4
: give up, quit
the urge … to throw up all intellectual workNorman Mailer
5
: to bring forth : produce
6
: to make distinct especially by contrast : cause to stand out
7
: to mention repeatedly by way of reproach
Phrases
throw up one's hands
: to admit defeat
in the end throws up his hands in despairFrank Conroy

Examples of throw up in a Sentence

she must have eaten something that didn't agree with her because she threw up right after dinner when the townspeople realized that the President's motorcade would be coming through on its way to the conference, they threw up a hasty “Welcome” sign
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Terrifier 3—the new shock horror movie featuring Art the Clown—has people throwing up in theaters and a pair of crewmembers from the film couldn’t be any prouder. Tim Lammers, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024 While throwing up a green wall in the lobby was considered impressive in the mid-aughts, now companies are hiring firms to design elaborate plantscapes that rival Victorian-era conservatories, with hanging planters, water features, and meditative nooks. Kim Velsey, Curbed, 25 Oct. 2024 The Supreme Court had already decided that yes, indeed, Texas — which spent a hundred million buckaroos a year on California produce — could throw up its own quarantine on Golden State goods. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2024 The decision to grow aggressively in a range of battery technologies threw up a breathtaking number of operational hurdles. Shawn Tully, Fortune Europe, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for throw up 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of throw up was in the 15th century

Cite this Entry

“Throw up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/throw%20up. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

throw up

verb
1
: to build or raise hurriedly or quickly
threw up the window
2
: to give up : quit
just wanted to throw the whole thing up
3

Medical Definition

throw up

intransitive verb
: vomit

More from Merriam-Webster on throw up

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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