spit the dummy

verb

To overreact (as an adult) to a situation, in an angry and childish manner.

“He'll really spit the dummy when he hears that he's not going on that trip.”

Similar
throw a tantrumthrow one's toys out of the pram
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Meanings

verbspit the dummy (third-person singular simple present spits the dummy, present participle spitting the dummy, simple past and past participle spat the dummy or spit the dummy)

present singular third person spits the dummy · participle present spitting the dummy · participle past spat the dummy · past spat the dummy

  1. AustraliaidiomaticinformalTo overreact (as an adult) to a situation, in an angry and childish manner.

    He'll really spit the dummy when he hears that he's not going on that trip.

    Synonyms: throw a tantrum, throw one's toys out of the pram

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo overreact (as an adult) to a situation, in an angry and childish manner.

Similar
throw a tantrumthrow one's toys out of the pram
Also see
throw one's toys out of the pram

Origin

Referring to a baby having a tantrum and spitting out its dummy.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

spit the dummy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spit%20the%20dummy

MLA

“spit the dummy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spit%20the%20dummy. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “spit the dummy,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spit%20the%20dummy.

Source: spit the dummy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.