hurl

verb \ ˈhər(-ə)l \

|Updated on: 2 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: hurl in a Sentence

Definition of hurl

hurled; hurling play \ˈhər-liŋ\

intransitive verb

1 : rush, hurtle

2 : pitch 5a

3 : vomit

transitive verb

1 : to send or thrust with great vigor

the forces that were to be hurled against the Turks
—N. T. Gilroy

2 : to throw down with violence

3 a : to throw forcefully : fling

hurled the manuscript into the fire

hurled myself over the fence

b : pitch 2a

4 : to utter with vehemence

hurled insults at the police

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hurl

noun

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hurler

play \ˈhər-lər\ noun

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Examples of hurl in a Sentence

Someone hurled a rock through the window.
He hurled a chair at me.
It looked like she was going to hurl herself down the stairs.
The protesters hurled insults at us.

Recent Examples of hurl from the Web

The ambulance was on its way to a call when a man hurled a brick through a window, Chicago Fire Department Spokesman Larry Langford said.

— peter nickeas, chicagotribune.com, "Paramedic injured in brick attack," 12 July 2018
Two years ago, Croatia’s campaign at the 2016 European Championship was overshadowed by turmoil in the stands as fans hurled dozens of flares onto the field in protest against the football federation leadership.

— Washington Post, "Underdog status suits Croatia perfectly for World Cup final," 12 July 2018
Delph described his encounter with a Bigfoot while hunting in Indiana, when the creature hurled a log that narrowly missed his head.

— joseph p. laycock, Smithsonian, "A Search for Mysteries and Monsters in Small Town America," 11 July 2018
Children are heard hurling more profanities at police throughout the video.

— ryan tarinelli, The Seattle Times, "Mom says Texas officer choked boy before aiming gun at kids," 9 July 2018
Pitt hit 1-of-2 free throws to tie, and Howard rebounded the miss and hurled the ball upcourt as a Pitt player made contact.

— scott horner, Indianapolis Star, "Here are Butler basketball's top 10 career scorers," 9 July 2018
During the past few months, the athletes have been learning to maneuver long, curved baskets (cestas) strapped to their hands, and hurl the ball (pelota) against the court walls at speeds up to 170 mph.

— michelle kaufman, miamiherald, "These 10 former UM athletes make their Jai-Alai debut at Magic City Casino on Sunday," 29 June 2018
At Greater New Bedford, freshman Madison Camara stepped in for injured sophomore Jenna Sylvia in the state semis and final, and with just two previous varsity starts, hurled the Bears to their first Division 2 championship.

— craig larson, BostonGlobe.com, "The spring season got off to a soggy start, but had a brilliant finish," 28 June 2018
Smith then pitched in relief in game one against St. Anselm, hurling two shutout innings to close out a 4-0 win.

— james weber, Cincinnati.com, "Notre Dame grad Haylee Smith helps University of Southern Indiana to national title," 22 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hurl.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of hurl

Middle English

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First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

hurl Synonyms

Phrases

beat it, get a move on, make tracks, shake a leg, step on it;

Synonym Discussion of hurl

throw, cast, toss, fling, hurl, pitch, sling mean to cause to move swiftly through space by a propulsive movement or a propelling force. throw is general and interchangeable with the other terms but may specifically imply a distinctive motion with bent arm.