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

see also:

throw up one's hands

Synonyms of throw up

• vomit
• hurl

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

Several commissioners have raised questions about how the center would be funded in future years, but no one has been more outspoken in throwing up roadblocks designed to keep the center from opening than Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins. —Jim Defede, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026

On Sunday, April 26, the tennis star, 22, withdrew during the second set of her match against Sorana Cirstea to run to the side of the court and throw up due to a stomach virus that has been making its way around the locker room at the professional tennis tournament. —Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 26 Apr. 2026

The American threw up on court in the middle of the second set. —ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026

Manoah has thrown up to four innings, and Rodriguez has thrown up to three in their workouts so far. —Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for throw up

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

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