belch
Americanverb (used without object)
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to eject stomach gas noisily from the mouth; burp.
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to emit contents violently, such as a gun, geyser, or volcano.
The volcano belched ominously while the town was evacuated.
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to gush forth.
Fire and smoke belched from the dragon's mouth.
verb (used with object)
noun
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an ejection of stomach gas from the mouth.
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a violent emittance of flame, smoke, gas, etc.
verb
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(usually intr) to expel wind from the stomach noisily through the mouth; eructate
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to expel or be expelled forcefully from inside
smoke belching from factory chimneys
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to say (curses, insults, etc) violently or bitterly
noun
Usage
What does belch mean? A belch is the often noisy instance of stomach gas being released through the mouth. It often happens after you eat or especially after you drink a bubbly drink like soda. Belch can also be used as a verb meaning to release gas in such a way, as in I belched right in the middle of the meeting—it was so embarrassing. Belching is common and normal, but it’s often considered rude to belch in public, especially to do so loudly. It’s typically considered the polite thing to do to try to cover up a belch. A synonym for both the noun and verb sense of belch is burp, which is more informal. The technical medical term for belching or a belch is eructation. The verb form of this is eruct. Belch is also sometimes used in a figurative way in the context of a thing releasing gas or air or something else, especially in a messy way. A volcano can be said to belch out fumes (and such fumes can be said to be belching out of it). Example: My grandfather loved to conclude his dinner by unleashing a loud belch to signal his satisfaction.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has belchedperfect 3rd person singular
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have belchedperfect
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is belchingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been belchingperfect progressive
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are belchingprogressive
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has been belchingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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am belchingprogressive 1st person singular
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belchessingular 3rd person
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belchingparticiple
Past
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had belchedperfect
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was belchingprogressive singular
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had been belchingperfect progressive
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belchedsimple
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were belchingprogressive plural
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belchedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of belch
First recorded before 1000; Middle English belchen, Old English bealcettan; cognate with Dutch balken, belken to bray; perhaps extended form akin to bell 2, bellow
Vocabulary lists containing belch
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While these conflagrations engulf millions of acres of lands, they belch fine particulate matter into the air, which humans inevitably inhale.
From Salon • Jan. 10, 2025
Hence it all but backtracking on its emissions reductions and climate change mitigation goals, just so users can belch out more fake, dangerously misleading images and videos.
From Slate • Oct. 28, 2024
Huge swaths of Amazon rainforest have been slashed to create pasture, releasing carbon stored in trees, and cows belch methane that’s far worse for the climate.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 3, 2024
These landfills also belch methane, a powerful, planet-warming gas, on average at almost three times the rate reported to federal regulators, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Science.
From New York Times • Mar. 28, 2024
Harry tried to argue back but his words were drowned by a long, loud belch from the Dursleys’ son, Dudley.
From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
