spew

1 of 2

verb

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Waves are constantly breaking in the ocean, spewing massive volumes of biological shrapnel, such as proteins, fats and DNA fragments from decomposed microbes. Max G. Levy, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2025 Fox is ground zero for the kinds of vicious lies about immigrants that Trump has been spewing on the presidential stage for a decade. Marjorie García, Billboard, 26 June 2025
Noun
On top of that, bits of gold spew from broken rocks and enemies, which both serve to power up DK’s special abilities and can be used to unlock permanent upgrades. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 1 July 2025 According to the study authors, while the circular indentations may be tied to the theropod’s attempts at nest building, the scratches are more likely the remains of their ritual dance-offs, in which male dinosaurs dug deep into the sand, slashing their claws and sending spews of dust into the air. Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for spew

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of spew was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spew.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spew. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

spew

1 of 2 verb
: to send or come out in a flood or gush

spew

2 of 2 noun
: matter that is spewed out

More from Merriam-Webster on spew

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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