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

In the lead-up to his return, Trump has made allies out of the Silicon Valley billionaires who threw up nothing but roadblocks for him eight years ago. —Max Thornberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 2 Feb. 2025

On 3rd-and-5 with 3:13 left in the second quarter, Patrick Mahomes scrambled and found just enough space to throw up a ball to Xavier Worthy. —Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 27 Jan. 2025

The woman at the office threw up her hands and unleashed a torrent of Spanish. —Gary Shteyngart, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025

In the photo, Connor takes a selfie while Jim throws up a peace sign. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 25 Jan. 2025

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