throw up

verb

threw up; thrown up; throwing up; throws up

intransitive verb

: vomit

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 work

—Norman 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 despair

—Frank Conroy

Synonyms

• barf
• gag
• heave
• hurl
• puke
• retch
• spew
• spit up
• upchuck
• vomit

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

Queen can catch in the mid-post and throw up an impressive array of midrange jumpers with touch, or put his shoulder into somebody and get to a hook shot. —Sam Vecenie, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025

Fun photos like Olivia hugging a rock while sticking out her tongue and throwing up a peace sign rounded out the set of snaps. —Hannah Sacks, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025

Kardashian included a mix of candid and posed shots, including one where the family throws up peace signs. —George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024

Later attempts in the same setting fared better, launching the game but throwing up a few moments of stuttering and artifacting. —Matt Kamen, WIRED, 22 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

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

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

: vomit entry 2 sense 1

Medical Definition

throw up

intransitive verb

ˌthrō-ˈəp 

: vomit