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

District judges, meanwhile, continue to throw up roadblocks to the president’s plans. —Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 2026

But on a fourth-down play with 18 seconds remaining, Bears quarterback Caleb Williams threw up a prayer while running from three Rams defenders and somehow, Cole Kmet got open and caught the ball in the end zone for an eventual game-tying touchdown. —Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026

What isn’t in doubt is the Championship’s ability to throw up a surprise or two. —Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026

The hospital was preparing to discharge her when her oxygen level began to drop again, and that afternoon, Ellie started throwing up blood. —Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 16 Jan. 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