disgorge
Americanverb (used with object)
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to eject or throw out from the throat, mouth, or stomach; vomit forth.
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to surrender or yield (something, especially something illicitly obtained).
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to discharge forcefully or as a result of force.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to throw out (swallowed food, etc) from the throat or stomach; vomit
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to discharge or empty of (contents)
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(tr) to yield up unwillingly or under pressure
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(tr) angling to remove (a hook) from the mouth or throat of (a fish)
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of disgorge
1470–80; < Middle French desgorger, equivalent to des- dis- 1 + -gorger, derivative of gorge throat; see gorge 1
Explanation
There's really no way to put this delicately. Disgorge is just a fancy word for "throw up." Usually, this somewhat icky word is applied to birds or animals rather than people. Gorge is an old-fashioned word for the throat, so to disgorge is to eject something through the throat. (Yuck.) In addition to its literal meaning, disgorge also has the broader metaphorical meaning of "to empty out." So a bus might disgorge its passengers and a spy might disgorge her secrets — for the right price.
Vocabulary lists containing disgorge
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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.
See Examples For:
The Securities and Exchange Commission requires owners of 10% or more of a public company’s stock to disgorge all profits realized within any six-month period.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
Finally, the trucks would disgorge their citrus into a harvest wagon, the giant flatbed, which would be driven by semitruck to the processing center.
From Slate ● Apr. 20, 2026
Pere points over to the port, far beyond the rows of street vendors and swelling crowds filling the square, explaining that some cruises disgorge as many of 12,000 visitors every day onto the island.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2024
But while restrained in form and implications, “Zone” is never coy, and is surprisingly quick to disgorge its secrets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 14, 2023
The people, forced to disgorge ever- increasing tribute to Tenochtitlan, were resentful and bitter.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Musk has also asked for billions of dollars made by the for-profit business to be disgorged, with the proceeds directed to OpenAI’s nonprofit arm.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 28, 2026
In 1991 Will Self disgorged himself on to the British literary scene with “The Quantity Theory of Insanity,” a book of short stories seething with misanthropy and logorrhea.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026
The SEC is seeking hundreds of millions in disgorged profits and penalties for the late filing.
From Barron's ● Jan. 16, 2026
I watched as bus after white bus drove up to the plane and disgorged detainees.
From Slate ● Jun. 19, 2025
As usual, the tree disgorged its food, and the astonished girl watched her father eating with the speed of a man who has not eaten for many weeks.
From "The Girl Who Married a Lion: and Other Tales from Africa" by Alexander Mccall Smith
A world with no AP classes, basketball fundraisers or backpacks disgorging papers that I should have signed last week.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2025
At least four have sunk in the harbour, disgorging rubbish and fuel into waters that are part of a marine reserve.
From Reuters ● Nov. 24, 2023
A blend of chardonnay and pinot noir, aged 18 to 20 months before disgorging, it shows complexity and nuance as ripe orchard fruit flavors dance with notes of toasty brioche.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 8, 2022
On game days, Wrigleyville is usually thronged with people in Cubs gear, with each new arrival of the elevated train disgorging hundreds of new fans.
From Slate ● Oct. 2, 2020
In fact, as the disgorging throngs below me demonstrated now, people haven’t tired of it yet.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
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.
