spew

1 of 2

verb

ˈspyü 

spewed; spewing; spews

intransitive verb

1

: vomit

2

: to come forth in a flood or gush

3

: to ooze out as if under pressure : exude

transitive verb

1

: vomit

2

: to send or cast forth with vigor or violence or in great quantity

a volcano spewing out ash

—often used with out

spewer noun

spew

2 of 2

noun

1

: matter that is vomited : vomit

2

: material that exudes or is extruded

Synonyms

Verb

• gush
• jet
• pour
• rush
• spout
• spurt
• squirt
• swoosh

Examples of spew in a Sentence

Verb

Exhaust spewed out of the car.

Smoke and ashes spewed from the volcano.

The volcano spewed hot ash.

The faucet started spewing dirty water.

The dog spewed vomit on the rug.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The Trump campaign has been besieged in the last days of the 2024 election after his New York rally Sunday featured speakers spewing racist and sexist remarks echoing Nazi language, and the Albuquerque, N.M., visit gave the campaign a chance for a visual reset. —Russell Contreras, Axios, 31 Oct. 2024

The two filed for divorce, again, in August, and have since been spewing blistering words at one another in the public eye. —Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 23 Oct. 2024

Noun

With most airlines no longer providing the spew sacks as standard, this community of hobbyists are the people to turn to when times get rough. —Maureen O'Hare, CNN, 3 Aug. 2024

That’s a persuasive contrast in Rose’s favor, but the contrast working against him is between the words the gregarious Rose spews and the truth. —Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English spīwan; akin to Old High German spīwan to spit, Latin spuere, Greek ptyein

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

spew

1 of 2 verb

ˈspyü 

: to send or come out in a flood or gush

spew

2 of 2 noun

: matter that is spewed out