hurl

verb

\ ˈhər(-ə)l

hurled; hurling\ ˈhər-liŋ

Definition of hurl

intransitive verb

1 : rush, hurtle

2 : pitch sense 5a

3 : vomit

transitive verb

1 : to send or thrust with great vigor the forces that were to be hurled against the Turks— N. T. Gilroy

2 : to throw down with violence

3a : to throw forcefully : fling hurled the manuscript into the fire hurled myself over the fence

b : pitch sense 2a

4 : to utter with vehemence hurled insults at the police

Other Words from hurl Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about hurl

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Choose the Right Synonym for hurl

throw, cast, toss, fling, hurl, pitch, sling mean to cause to move swiftly through space by a propulsive movement or a propelling force. throw is general and interchangeable with the other terms but may specifically imply a distinctive motion with bent arm. can throw a fastball and a curve cast usually implies lightness in the thing thrown and sometimes a scattering. cast it to the winds toss suggests a light or careless or aimless throwing and may imply an upward motion. tossed the coat on the bed fling stresses a violent throwing. flung the ring back in his face hurl implies power as in throwing a massive weight. hurled himself at the intruder pitch suggests throwing carefully at a target. pitch horseshoes sling stresses either the use of whirling momentum in throwing or directness of aim. slung the bag over his shoulder

Examples of hurl in a Sentence

Someone hurled a rock through the window. He hurled a chair at me. It looked like she was going to hurl herself down the stairs. The protesters hurled insults at us.

Recent Examples on the Web

Dorian is expected to hurl winds topping 74 mph in parts of the Windward Islands and Leeward Islands later Monday, the National Hurricane Center said. — Holly Yan And Christina Maxouris, CNN, "Tropical Storm Dorian could become a hurricane by Tuesday as it threatens Puerto Rico," 26 Aug. 2019 One quickly devolved after protesters used what appeared to be a long, homemade slingshot to hurl rocks and bricks at a police station. — Yanan Wang, The Christian Science Monitor, "Why Hong Kong protests ebb and flow, like water," 5 Aug. 2019 After scores of officers in riot gear appeared to clear the streets Saturday, some protesters set fire to trash bins and pieces of cardboard, and used sling shots to hurl rocks. — Washington Post, "Hong Kong protesters and police face off in familiar cycle," 4 Aug. 2019 Jake Browning hurled pass after pass upon the conclusion of Thursday’s practice at TCO Performance Center, long after the rest of his teammates had retreated to the locker room. — Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, "‘Don’t make the same mistake twice’: Undrafted QB Jake Browning learning his role," 25 July 2019 Both the television network and AT&T hurled accusations at each other for failure to agree on what CBS is paid for programming. — CBS News, "CBS is blacked out on DirecTV and other AT&T systems – how to watch CBS News," 22 July 2019 Trump uses his personal Twitter account to hurl abuse at Democrats, presidential candidates like Joe Biden, media that doesn’t present him in a flattering way, and foreign leaders. — Amanda Shendruk, Quartz, "Data show Trump is right, fewer people like his tweets now," 14 July 2019 Aircraft hurled off the deck of the Truman, located about 40 miles south of the island. — Megan Rose, ProPublica, "Trump Keeps Talking About the Last Military Standoff With Iran — Here’s What Really Happened," 24 June 2019 The Indian Chandrayaan-1 mission, and then NASA’s LCROSS, hurled probes into the satellite to analyze the resulting dust cloud. — Korey Haynes, Discover Magazine, "Earth's Moon: The Basics of its Origin, Evolution and Exploration," 12 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hurl.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for hurl

hurl

verb

English Language Learners Definition of hurl

: to throw (something) with force

: to say or shout (something, such as an insult) in a loud and forceful way

See the full definition for hurl in the English Language Learners Dictionary

hurl

verb

\ ˈhərl

hurled; hurling

Kids Definition of hurl

: to throw with force We hurled buckets of water on the flames.

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hurl

Definition of hurl

Other Words from hurl

Synonyms for hurl

Choose the Right Synonym for hurl

Examples of hurl in a Sentence

First Known Use of hurl

History and Etymology for hurl

English Language Learners Definition of hurl

Kids Definition of hurl

hurl

Definition of hurl

Other Words from hurl

Synonyms for hurl

Choose the Right Synonym for hurl

Examples of hurl in a Sentence

First Known Use of hurl

History and Etymology for hurl

English Language Learners Definition of hurl

Kids Definition of hurl

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