throw up

vomit or bring food back up from your stomach

B1

What does "throw up" mean?

Throw up means to vomit — when your stomach forces food or liquid back up through your mouth. It is one of the most common ways to talk about this in everyday English, and you will hear it constantly in spoken conversation, text messages, and informal writing. The expression is often used not just when someone actually vomits, but also when they feel close to it — for example, 'I nearly threw up' or 'I felt like throwing up.' People often use it with a cause, such as a bad smell, food poisoning, travel sickness, or nerves. It is less formal than 'vomit' and more widely used than 'be sick,' which is more common in British English.

Examples

How to use it

subject + throw up

This is the core pattern — 'throw up' is used intransitively in this sense, meaning no object follows it.

She threw up as soon as she got off the boat.

feel like + throwing up

This very common pattern describes nausea or the sensation that vomiting is about to happen.

He felt like throwing up the whole way through the exam.

nearly / almost + threw up

Use 'nearly' or 'almost' before 'threw up' to describe a strong feeling of nausea that did not quite result in vomiting.

I nearly threw up when I smelled what was in that bin.

throw up + after / from + cause

Use 'after' or 'from' to explain what triggered the nausea or vomiting.

She threw up from nerves before every big performance.

be about to + throw up

This pattern describes the moment just before vomiting happens, often to express urgency.

Pull over — I think I'm about to throw up.

Common Collocations

feel like throwing upnearly threw upthrew up all nightabout to throw upthrew up from nervescouldn't stop throwing up

Common Mistakes

Adding an object after 'up'

In the vomit sense, 'throw up' is intransitive — you cannot put a noun directly after 'up'. If you want to mention what was vomited, use 'bring up' instead, which works transitively.

✗ I threw up my dinner after eating too fast.
✓ I threw up after eating too fast. / I brought up my dinner after eating too fast.
Using present continuous unnecessarily

Saying 'I am throwing up' sounds unnatural unless you are describing an episode that is actually happening right now. For general or past situations, use the simple past, present perfect, or 'feel like throwing up'.

✗ I am throwing up every time I travel by boat.
✓ I throw up every time I travel by boat.
Confusing 'throw up' with 'be sick' across varieties

In British English, 'be sick' is the most common equivalent. Both are understood everywhere, but if you use 'be sick' with American speakers it may sound unusual, and 'throw up' is the safer choice in all varieties of English.

Usage

This is an informal expression used in everyday speech; use 'vomit' in formal or medical contexts. It is common in both British and American English, though British speakers may also say 'be sick.'

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'throw up' be used in formal writing or medical contexts?

No — 'throw up' is informal and should be avoided in formal, medical, or academic writing. In those contexts, use 'vomit' instead. For example, a doctor's report would say 'the patient vomited,' not 'the patient threw up.'

Does 'throw up' always mean vomit?

No — the same words can mean something completely different in other contexts, such as producing or raising something unexpectedly. However, when 'throw up' is used without a noun object after 'up,' it almost always refers to vomiting. Context makes the meaning clear.

Can I say 'I have been throwing up all day'?

Yes, this is natural when you are describing an ongoing episode that started in the past and is still happening or has just finished. This is one of the few situations where the continuous form sounds completely normal.

Is 'throw up' used the same way in British and American English?

Yes — 'throw up' is understood and used in both British and American English. British speakers also commonly say 'be sick,' but 'throw up' is perfectly natural in the UK too.

What are common ways to say you felt like throwing up but didn't?

The most natural expressions are 'I nearly threw up,' 'I almost threw up,' 'I felt like throwing up,' and 'I was about to throw up.' These are all very common in everyday spoken English and clearly suggest strong nausea without actual vomiting.

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