as in stabbing
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
according to the propaganda put out by the war ministry, enemy soldiers were spitting innocent babies on bayonets
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of spitting
Byron W. Dalrymple, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
Especially women, with all those drunken servicemen rolling through, packs of them, fights spilling out of the cafés, catcalls and spitting in the streets.
—Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
For a while, Claude kept spitting out the same inert passages, in which Jay Gatsby or Sherlock Holmes did a whole lot of nothing and had no opinion about the very little that was happening around them.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 2 June 2026
The man above is accused of spitting an unknown liquid on a CTA passenger on April, 19, 2026.
—Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 26 May 2026
Charles Barkley was once spitting mad at a heckling fan, and his expectoration wound up splashing on an 8-year-old girl.
—Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 22 May 2026
This possibility raises the question of how physicists can be sure their quantum simulations are spitting out reliable results.
—Zeeya Merali, Scientific American, 19 May 2026
Again, Google says this is only possible because the new model is so efficient at spitting out tokens.
—ArsTechnica, 19 May 2026
This means that early galaxies were true star-forming machines, gobbling up gas and spitting out stars with a furious intensity.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 4 May 2026
Verb
Everybody knows the old saying about spitting on your bait for good luck.
—Byron W. Dalrymple, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
Especially women, with all those drunken servicemen rolling through, packs of them, fights spilling out of the cafés, catcalls and spitting in the streets.
—Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
For a while, Claude kept spitting out the same inert passages, in which Jay Gatsby or Sherlock Holmes did a whole lot of nothing and had no opinion about the very little that was happening around them.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 2 June 2026
The man above is accused of spitting an unknown liquid on a CTA passenger on April, 19, 2026.
—Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 26 May 2026
Charles Barkley was once spitting mad at a heckling fan, and his expectoration wound up splashing on an 8-year-old girl.
—Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 22 May 2026
This possibility raises the question of how physicists can be sure their quantum simulations are spitting out reliable results.
—Zeeya Merali, Scientific American, 19 May 2026
Again, Google says this is only possible because the new model is so efficient at spitting out tokens.
—ArsTechnica, 19 May 2026
This means that early galaxies were true star-forming machines, gobbling up gas and spitting out stars with a furious intensity.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spitting
Adjective
-
Donut peaches are usually palm-sized and easy to polish off in a few drippy, delightful bites.—
Sheri Castle,
Southern Living,
9 June 2026
-
There have been several incarnations since, all with shapeshifting powers that transform their drippy clay body structures; all have been adversaries of Batman.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Concerns about light rail safety in Charlotte remain after the August stabbing death of Iryna Zarutska on a light rail train.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
-
On Tuesday, Anthony was found guilty by a Texas jury in the 2025 stabbing death of Austin Metcalf at a track meet.—
J.D. Miles,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Ciudad Perdida, Colombia Hidden deep within the misty peaks of Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the ancient city of Teyuna—better known as Ciudad Perdida—is one of South America’s most extraordinary archaeological sites.—
Carla Vianna,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Apr. 2026
-
There, mountain gorillas roam the misty Virunga Mountains, a volcanic range shared with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or D.R.C., and Uganda.—
Mary Holland,
Air Mail,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The threats just keep jabbing at America’s borders.—
Donald G. McNeil Jr,
Washington Post,
1 June 2026
-
The president has kept up his criticism of Leo, jabbing the pope in a May 4 interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt on the eve of Rubio’s visit.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
On a cool, drizzly day in Oakland, California, the film director Boots Riley often seemed less like a person than like a landmark—clockable from a distance.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
On a drizzly summer night, Adams signed and signed.—
New York Daily News,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Somebody lucked out on a pick-six — picking six consecutive winners in a row at the track.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
-
Göransson had a tough time picking a favorite, too.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
As Molloy gradually succeeds in puncturing Lestat’s aloof, arrogant outer shell, his sound correspondingly shifts from assaultive punk to more contemplative ballads.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
7 June 2026
-
Better known by her pseudonymous social media handle Jerry Gogosian, Helphenstein left behind a complicated legacy, puncturing art world pieties with both satirical and serious memes and occasionally making inflammatory statements.—
Harrison Jacobs,
ARTnews.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
According to Sadriu, the firearm, which was allegedly loaded with armor-piercing ammunition, was seized as evidence.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
5 June 2026
-
As Stankiewicz attempted to utter another sentence, the train’s ear-piercing horn sounded.—
Jose de Jesus Ortiz,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spitting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spitting. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
