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

Caitlin Clark has thrown up her biggest shot of the WNBA season. —Bruce Haring, Deadline, 29 June 2024

Both made kissy faces and Kardashian threw up a peace sign for the shot. —Mackenzie Schmidt, Peoplemag, 28 June 2024

In the face of misconduct emanating from so many sources and sometimes involving the social-media platforms as willing accomplices, Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s opinion for a six-justice majority threw up its hands. —The Editors, National Review, 27 June 2024

Fall Guys throws up an unsupported error, as does Halo Infinite. —Tom Warren, The Verge, 26 June 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