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

But in no lifetime should a parent publicly slander their children, be passive-aggressive to the point of only acknowledging stepchildren, and spew this type of vitriol to strangers when there are options like a diary, therapy, and mobile phones. —Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 23 Apr. 2024

Mount Ruang, a 725-meter (2,400-foot) volcano on Ruang Island, North Sulawesi, has erupted at least five times since Tuesday night, spewing fiery lava and ash plumes thousands of feet into the sky, the country’s volcanology agency said. —Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 18 Apr. 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