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
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
Based on that finding, the agency barred Jarkesy and his company from certain parts of the investment business, imposed $300,000 in penalties on him, and required him to disgorge unlawful profits of nearly $685,000.
From Slate ● Nov. 28, 2023
The people, forced to disgorge ever- increasing tribute to Tenochtitlan, were resentful and bitter.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
After Kao’s arrest, they disgorged his donations, she added.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
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
It wants him to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in disgorged trading profits and penalties.
From Barron's ● Jan. 16, 2026
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
In 2000 the SEC charged him with fraud in a case he settled without admitting wrongdoing, agreeing instead to pay a $350,000 fine and disgorging $8.3 million.
From Slate ● Sep. 20, 2026
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
The clock says 5:30 a.m., but the parking lot of Sonora Market already has become an anthill as trucks cruise in and out disgorging farmworkers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2022
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
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
