vomit

1 of 2

verb

vom·​it ˈvä-mət How to pronounce vomit (audio)
vomited; vomiting; vomits

intransitive verb

1
: to disgorge the stomach contents
2
: to spew forth : belch, gush

transitive verb

1
: to disgorge (the contents of the stomach) through the mouth
2
: to eject violently or abundantly : spew
3
: to cause to vomit
vomiter noun

vomit

2 of 2

noun

1
: an act or instance of disgorging the contents of the stomach through the mouth
also : the disgorged matter
2
: emetic

Examples of vomit in a Sentence

Verb The dog vomited on the floor. The patient was vomiting blood.
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
Birth control pills are extremely effective when used correctly, but college life is filled with irregular schedules, late nights, road trip weekends and, for some people — vomiting. Jill Grimes, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2025 Max urinated and vomited on himself, went into cardiac arrest and ultimately, lost consciousness during his prolonged restraint. Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 9 Aug. 2025
Noun
After all, every single one of Spinal Tap's drummers has died in a series of increasingly absurd ways that range from bizarre gardening accidents to choking on someone else's vomit to exploding while onstage. Emlyn Travis, EW.com, 24 July 2025 The sick passenger tried to contain the vomit, which only worsened the situation. Matthew Impelli, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for vomit

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French vomite, from Latin vomitus, from vomere to vomit; akin to Old Norse vāma seasickness, Greek emein to vomit

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of vomit was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vomit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vomit. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

vomit

1 of 2 noun
vom·​it ˈväm-ət How to pronounce vomit (audio)
: an act of throwing up the contents of the stomach through the mouth
also : the matter thrown up

vomit

2 of 2 verb
: to throw up the contents of the stomach through the mouth
vomiter noun

Medical Definition

vomit

1 of 2 noun
vom·​it ˈväm-ət How to pronounce vomit (audio)
1
2
: stomach contents disgorged through the mouth

called also vomitus

vomit

2 of 2 intransitive verb
: to disgorge the stomach contents

transitive verb

: to disgorge (the contents of the stomach) through the mouth

More from Merriam-Webster on vomit

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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