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

Wu and other leaders of the progressive ilk are determined to throw up as many roadblocks as possible. —Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 10 Mar. 2026

The actress threw up a peace sign for the camera while Ramirez smiled with his arm around Alba's waist. —Edward Segarra, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026

Sometimes football throws up these bizarre twists of fate. —Chris McKenna, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026

The drunk boys urinated on the property, threw up in the backyard and stumbled and fell on the patio, the documents state. —Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 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