Synonyms of hurl

hurl

verb

ˈhər(-ə)l 

1

as in to vomit

to discharge the contents of the stomach through the mouth

that meal was so gross I thought I was going to hurl

Synonyms & Similar Words

• vomit
• heave
• puke
• retch
• barf
• eject
• spew
• throw up
• gag
• upchuck
• spit up
• disgorge
• regurgitate
• lose one's lunch
• toss one's cookies
• expel
• nauseate

2

as in to scurry

to proceed or move quickly

a fighter jet hurled through the sky

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scurry
• fly
• rush
• hurry
• race
• travel
• drive
• speed
• jump
• trot
• chase
• run
• blow
• zip
• scoot
• dart
• rip
• scuttle
• tear
• blast
• buzz
• shoot
• whirl
• dash
• hurtle
• step
• bolt
• ram
• rocket
• pelt
• careen
• zoom
• jog
• hie
• hasten
• breeze
• rustle
• bowl
• jet
• whisk
• course
• blaze
• crack (on)
• motor
• barrel
• hustle
• nip
• bundle
• beat it
• career
• bomb
• belt
• hare
• hump
• get a move on
• step on it
• gallop
• cannonball
• highball
• make tracks
• flit
• scamper
• bustle
• shake a leg
• hotfoot (it)
• accelerate
• streak
• sprint
• overtake
• outrun
• scud
• whiz
• whizz
• stampede
• beetle
• step out
• scuffle
• catch up
• outstrip
• quicken
• outpace
• arrow
• beeline
• fast-forward

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• crawl
• drag
• creep
• poke
• linger
• poke
• hang (around or out)
• loiter
• dawdle
• lag
• tarry
• saunter
• stroll
• amble
• shuffle
• lumber
• plod
• decelerate
• slow (down or up)
• dally
• dillydally

3

as in to throw

to send through the air especially with a quick forward motion of the arm

hurled snowballs at each other

Synonyms & Similar Words

• throw
• toss
• fling
• sling
• fire
• launch
• heave
• cast
• chuck
• catapult
• lob
• let fly
• hurtle
• pitch
• dart
• pelt
• flip
• dash
• bowl
• peg
• gun
• roll
• propel
• thrust
• loft
• pass
• eject
• shoot
• precipitate
• hook
• rifle
• impel
• project
• buck

Synonym Chooser

How is the word hurl distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of hurl are cast, fling, pitch, sling, throw, and toss. While all these words mean "to cause to move swiftly through space by a propulsive movement or a propelling force," hurl implies power as in throwing a massive weight.

hurled himself at the intruder

When could cast be used to replace hurl?

While in some cases nearly identical to hurl, cast usually implies lightness in the thing thrown and sometimes a scattering.

cast it to the winds

When would fling be a good substitute for hurl?

The words fling and hurl are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fling stresses a violent throwing.

flung the ring back in his face

When can pitch be used instead of hurl?

The meanings of pitch and hurl largely overlap; however, pitch suggests throwing carefully at a target.

pitch horseshoes

When is it sensible to use sling instead of hurl?

Although the words sling and hurl have much in common, sling stresses either the use of whirling momentum in throwing or directness of aim.

slung the bag over his shoulder

In what contexts can throw take the place of hurl?

While the synonyms throw and hurl are close in meaning, throw is general and interchangeable with the other terms but may specifically imply a distinctive motion with bent arm.

can throw a fastball and a curve

Where would toss be a reasonable alternative to hurl?

The synonyms toss and hurl are sometimes interchangeable, but toss suggests a light or careless or aimless throwing and may imply an upward motion.

tossed the coat on the bed

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hurl

The debris flow landslides hurled chunks of railroad tracks, houses and hazardous material into the river. —Rolando Arrieta, NPR, 29 Sep. 2025

Insults were hurled at McIlroy with such ferocity that his playing partner Shane Lowry had to be held back from going over the ropes to get at the fans. —Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2025

During the speech, however, Kemp periodically deviated from building up Astra to hurling insults at several of his competitors in the launch industry. —Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025

Thinking about it that way invests meaning in an anecdote Norris related about a member of the copy department so affronted by something a colleague had done that she was inspired to pick up an object and hurl it in that colleague’s general direction. —Ben Yagoda, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025