throw up

VERB

regurgitate

Synonyms

WEAK

barf be nauseous be sick blow grits blow lunch bring up disgorge drive a truck gag heave hurl pray to the porcelain god puke ralph regurgitate retch spew spit up toss one's cookies upchuck urp vomit

Antonyms

WEAK

destroy raze tear down

VERB

build quickly

Synonyms

WEAK

build overnight jerrybuild knock together patch put together roughcast roughhew run up slap together throw together

Antonyms

WEAK

destroy raze tear down

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for throw up?

vomit Throw up is most commonly used as an informal term meaning to vomit. Like vomit, it can also be used as a noun—in which case it’s often hyphenated as throw-up (or, less commonly, spelled as one word—throwup). Throw up is informal, but there are many even more informal slang terms, many of which can also be used as both a verb and a noun, including puke, barf, hurl, spew, ralph, upchuck, and chunder. Slang verb phrases include the unpleasantly vivid lose one’s lunch and toss one’s cookies. A particularly fanciful synonym is do the technicolor yawn. The term pray to the porcelain god means to bend down in front of the toilet while throwing up (in a pose that resembles kneeling before an idol). The terms retch and heave can both be used as verbs meaning to vomit and as nouns referring to the motion or action of vomiting. Euphemisms for the verb sense of throw up include be sick and get sick, as in I might get sick if I go on that roller coaster. A technical term is regurgitate. Formal, medical terms include vomitus and emesis. Baby throw up from breast milk or formula is often called spit up, which can also be used as a verb. (From a medical perspective, spitting up is not quite the same as vomiting.) Other meanings Throw up can also mean to raise, as in He threw up his arms in disgust. The literal motion of raising one’s arms in the air out of frustration is the basis of the phrase throw up one’s hands, meaning to quit or give up, especially out of frustration (or to indicate that one is quitting). Another idiom with a similar meaning is throw in the towel. Throw up can also mean to build something quickly or hastily, as in The way they throw up these houses so fast makes you wonder how well-built they could possibly be. The phrases throw together and slap together are similar, but they’re often used for smaller things, including intangible ones, as in I just slapped together that presentation at the last minute or I hate having to throw together dinner on weeknights.

How do you use throw up in a sentence?

Throw up is informal but commonly used in place of vomit. It can be used as a verb and a noun. When it’s used as a noun, it’s often hyphenated. Here are some examples of throw up in a sentence:

My migraine was so bad it made me throw up.
They used sawdust to clean up the throw-up.
I just threw up my hands and walked away, done with the committee forever.
You can’t just throw up a skyscraper like any old building—it requires unique considerations.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Yet, “Pretty Lethal” is packed with run-don’t-walk folly that demands to be seen to be believed — if only to throw up your hands and say, “I guess!”

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

“It’s searing pain from all the lactic acid. It floods your system. You blow capillaries in your eyes, you throw up after races,” said Cheek, now an NBC analyst.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026

It’s easy to throw up your hands at such knuckle-dragging indifference, and Mike told me he has to keep reaching for more stamina.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2026

That could throw up more difficult questions and embarrassing revelations.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026

He was sweating and shivering, and although there was nothing left in his belly to throw up, he· still felt sick.

From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver

throw up

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Example Sentences

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