Spit vs Throw

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Spit

Top 3,000 (common)

Throw

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 verb

Most common: Throw

	Spit	Throw
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //spɪt// 🇺🇸 //spɪt//	🇬🇧 /["/θrəʊ/","/θrəʊz/","/θruː/","/θrəʊn/","/ˈθrəʊɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/θrəʊ/","/θrəʊz/","/θruː/","/θrəʊn/","/ˈθrəʊɪŋ/"]/
Meaning	To eject saliva from the mouth.	To send something through the air by using your hand.
Example	He accidentally spat out his drink while laughing.	I will throw the ball to you.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 3,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	-	A2
Part of speech		verb
Collocations	spit nails, spit out, spit and polish	angrily, carelessly, casually, be ready to, be tempted to, want to, at, in, into, throw something open, angrily, carelessly, casually, be ready to, be tempted to, want to, at, in, into, throw something open, angrily, carelessly, casually, be ready to, be tempted to, want to, at, in, into, throw something open, angrily, carelessly, casually, be ready to, be tempted to, want to, at, in, into, throw something open, angrily, carelessly, casually, be ready to, be tempted to, want to, at, in, into, throw something open, angrily, carelessly, casually, be ready to, be tempted to, want to, at, in, into, throw something open, angrily, carelessly, casually, be ready to, be tempted to, want to, at, in, into, throw something open
Antonyms	swallow, ingest	catch, receive
Common mistakes	Confusing with 'spat' which refers to a quarrel., Using 'spit' incorrectly with inanimate objects., Forgetting to use a subject when forming a sentence.	'Throwed' instead of 'threw' as the past tense., Using 'throw' without an object, which can be unclear., Confusing with 'toss', which implies a lighter action.
Usage notes	Commonly used in informal contexts. Avoid in formal speech. Can refer to food or drink as well.	Use 'throw' when you are discussing physical actions of sending something away, often in casual contexts. Avoid in formal writing unless used metaphorically.

See it in real clips

- ¿ Donde esta-- - Spit, please.

Friends › S1 E1

Being spit on is probably not what you need right now.

- ¿ Donde esta-- - Spit, please.

Friends › S1 E1

Being spit on is probably not what you need right now.

Spit

The Wire › S1 E1

and throw his ass right onto the motherfuckin' expressway.

Well, you said we could throw out all the other evidence.

The Wire › S1 E1

and throw his ass right onto the motherfuckin' expressway.

Well, you said we could throw out all the other evidence.

Throw

Frequently asked questions: Spit vs Throw

What's the difference between Spit and Throw?

Spit: To eject saliva from the mouth. Throw: To send something through the air by using your hand.

Which is more common: Spit and Throw?

Throw is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Spit: He accidentally spat out his drink while laughing. Throw: I will throw the ball to you.

Can I use Spit and Throw interchangeably?

Not always. Spit and Throw are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.