throw up

verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"throw-up" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“throw up” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as a verb - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see throw, up.

Key facts for throw up
PropertyValue
Headwordthrow up
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “throw up” sits in English frequency

throw up falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for throw up is 8 letters long, classified as a verb. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for throw up in our index, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: The vomit sense is a clipping of throw up one's accounts (18th century), from earlier idiom cast up one's accounts (15th century). The correct English form is throw up, spelled T-H-R-O-W- -U-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see throw, up.
  2. 2
    To vomit.
  3. 3
    To produce or reveal something new or unexpected.
  4. 4
    To cause something such as dust or water to rise into the air.
  5. 5
    To erect, particularly hastily.
  6. 6
    To give up, abandon something.
  7. 7
    To display a gang sign using the hands.
  8. 8
    To enlarge, as a picture reflected on a screen.
  9. 9
    To give special prominence to a line or lines.

Etymology

The vomit sense is a clipping of throw up one's accounts (18th century), from earlier idiom cast up one's accounts (15th century).

Synonyms

chuck uphurlupchuckvomitknock up

This word in other languages

lanzar(Español)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "throw up"?
"throw up" is spelled T-H-R-O-W- -U-P.
What does "throw up" mean?
As a verb, "throw up" means: Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see throw, up.
What is the origin of the word "throw up"?
The vomit sense is a clipping of throw up one's accounts (18th century), from earlier idiom cast up one's accounts (15th century). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “throw up”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is T-H-R-O-W- -U-P - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list