vomit
C1Neutral/Medical; common in medical and everyday informal contexts; considered a technical and somewhat blunt term compared to euphemisms like 'be sick'.
Definition
Meaning
To eject the contents of the stomach through the mouth; the act or substance of such ejection.
Figuratively, to be expelled or emitted forcefully and in large quantities; to spew forth (e.g., a volcano vomiting lava, a chimney vomiting smoke).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is both a verb (intransitive: 'he vomited'; transitive: 'he vomited his lunch') and a count/non-count noun ('a pool of vomit'). Its figurative use implies a violent, uncontrolled, and often disgusting expulsion.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal in core meaning. In informal BrE, 'be sick' or 'sick up' is more common. In AmE, 'throw up' is the dominant informal equivalent. 'Vomit' retains a more clinical tone in both varieties.
Connotations
Universally evokes strong disgust and physical revulsion. In figurative use, it often carries connotations of overwhelming, uncontrollable, and repulsive emission.
Frequency
More frequent in formal, medical, and literary contexts than in casual conversation in both BrE and AmE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] vomits (intransitive)[Subject] vomits [Object] (transitive)[Subject] vomits [up] [Object]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “vomit forth”
- “vomit out”
- “vomit blood”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Extremely rare; potential in figurative use, e.g., 'The machine vomited a stack of error reports.'
Academic
Used in medical, biological, and psychological literature; also figurative in literary criticism or sociology (e.g., 'vomiting cultural tropes').
Everyday
Common, though often replaced by euphemisms in polite conversation. Used directly in urgent or graphic descriptions.
Technical
Standard term in medicine (emesis) and toxicology.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The baby vomited all over his new jumper.
- The smell of rotten fish made him want to vomit.
- After the dodgy curry, he spent the night vomiting.
American English
- She vomited after the roller coaster ride.
- The volcano vomited ash and rock for miles.
- He vomited up the pills he had just swallowed.
adverb
British English
- The word is not commonly used as an adverb.
American English
- The word is not commonly used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The vomit stain on the pavement was revolting.
- He had a vomit-inducing experience on the boat.
American English
- They had to clean the vomit-covered floor.
- The movie's gore was vomit-worthy.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The child felt sick and then vomited.
- She saw vomit on the street.
- Food poisoning can cause you to vomit for hours.
- He drank so much that he ended up vomiting.
- The patient has been vomiting blood, which requires immediate attention.
- The factory chimneys vomited thick black smoke into the sky.
- The polemic was a visceral, barely coherent vomit of rage and prejudice.
- Under psychological stress, some individuals experience a compulsion to vomit as a coping mechanism.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a VOLcano eMITting lava — VO-MIT — it violently spews out what's inside.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY IS A CONTAINER; LOSS OF CONTROL IS FORCIBLE EXPULSION; DISGUST IS REJECTION FROM THE BODY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'тошнить' as 'vomit' without checking subject/object. 'Тошнит меня' means 'I feel nauseous', not 'I vomit'. 'Vomit' requires an actual act of ejection.
- Do not confuse with 'vomiting' (act) and 'nausea' (sensation).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'vomit' as an adjective for a person ('I am vomit' is wrong; use 'nauseous' or 'sick').
- Confusing 'retch' (dry heave, attempt to vomit) with actual vomiting.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST formal synonym for 'vomit'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is not a swear word, but it is a blunt, graphic term. In polite company, people often use euphemisms like 'be sick' or 'throw up'.
Yes, though less common. For example: 'He vomited his breakfast' or 'The volcano vomited lava.'
'Nausea' is the feeling of sickness and the urge to vomit. 'Vomit' is the physical act or the substance itself.
In meaning, yes. 'Vomiting' is the standard/clinical term, while 'throwing up' is the dominant informal phrase, especially in American English.
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