What does vomited mean?
Vomited is the past tense and past participle of vomit, describing the act of bringing the contents of the stomach back up through the mouth, often forcefully. In ordinary narrative and medical reporting, it can serve as the concise past form in phrases such as “vomited blood” or “vomited food.” The word can also be used figuratively for material expelled in a sudden, violent stream: an engine may “vomit smoke,” or a speaker may “vomit words.” These figurative uses add vividness but can sound informal or exaggerated, while clinical descriptions often prefer terms such as emesis, regurgitation, or “expelled” when precision matters. Because “vomited” is an inflected verb form, its meaning is determined by tense and context: “The child vomited after breakfast” reports a completed event, whereas “the vomited food” treats the expelled material as an adjective-like participle. The form is familiar in British and American English and is not limited to a particular region. Its usefulness lies in combining a plain, direct description with a strong capacity for metaphorical expression.
verb (past tense and past participle)Expelled the contents of the stomach through the mouth, often forcefully. By extension, it can describe material being spewed forth in a sudden or violent stream.
- Physically expelled the contents of the stomach through the mouth.
- Figuratively spewed forth a material or substance in a sudden, forceful stream.
"The child vomited after eating too much at the party."
"The dog vomited on the carpet and then looked considerably better."
"The old engine coughed twice and then vomited a cloud of black smoke."
From a medical event to a dramatic description of smoke, words, or debris, “vomited” turns the image of forceful expulsion into vivid, memorable language.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does vomited come from?
“Vomited” is the English past form of “vomit.” The base verb traces back through Middle English to Latin vomitare, which was derived from vomere, meaning “to spew forth” or “to vomit.” Related forms such as “vomit,” “vomitus,” “vomitory,” and “vomitive” preserve the same Latin root even though their grammatical roles and meanings differ.
How vomited is actually used
“Vomited” is a past-tense and past-participial form rather than a citation form. It is neutral in ordinary British and American English, though medical writing may use more technical terms such as “emesis” or “regurgitation.” Figurative uses can be vivid but may sound informal or exaggerated.
Easily confused with vomited
Vomited refers to expelling stomach contents or forcefully spewing material, whereas emitted means released or discharged, especially light, sound, heat, or radiation.