charley horse
noun
char·ley horse
ˈchär-lē-ˌhȯrs 
: a muscular pain, cramping, or stiffness especially of the quadriceps that results from a strain or bruise
Examples of charley horse in a Sentence
had to stop and rest because of a charley horse in his leg
Recent Examples on the Web
More commonly known as a charley horse, a nighttime leg cramp is when the muscles in a leg quickly tighten up.
—
Erica Lamberg, Fox News, 4 Feb. 2024
David Della-Giustina, MD, an emergency medicine doctor and professor of emergency medicine at Yale School of Medicine, says those heat cramps feel like a muscle spasm, or what's known as a charley horse.
—Leah Groth, Health.com, 17 June 2020
This is different than the last time, when the guy has the charley horse.
—Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2023
Campbell said Aidan Hutchinson suffered a charley horse in his three-sack game Sunday and should be good to go for this week's game against the Vikings.
—Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, 20 Sep. 2022
Patrick McClellan uses a 32-pill regimen each day to ease the suffering from his rare form of muscular dystrophy, which can feel like a charley horse that violently spreads across the lower half of his body.
—Star Tribune, 13 June 2021
Pillar crashed into the fence at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Thursday and suffered a charley horse, but remained in the game until the Giants lost 10-2.
—Kerry Crowley, The Mercury News, 2 Aug. 2019
Shortly after UConn’s 100-49 victory over South Florida Saturday night, Kia Nurse stood in the bowels of the Sun Dome and was asked if a charley horse sustained three days earlier at East Carolina was much of an issue.
—Mike Anthony, courant.com, 7 Jan. 2018
All of a sudden there’s a loud scream, and sobs from a shopper who got a charley horse.
—Allison P. Davis, The Cut, 29 Sep. 2017
Erica Lamberg, Fox News, 4 Feb. 2024
David Della-Giustina, MD, an emergency medicine doctor and professor of emergency medicine at Yale School of Medicine, says those heat cramps feel like a muscle spasm, or what's known as a charley horse.
—Leah Groth, Health.com, 17 June 2020
This is different than the last time, when the guy has the charley horse.
—Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2023
Campbell said Aidan Hutchinson suffered a charley horse in his three-sack game Sunday and should be good to go for this week's game against the Vikings.
—Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, 20 Sep. 2022
Patrick McClellan uses a 32-pill regimen each day to ease the suffering from his rare form of muscular dystrophy, which can feel like a charley horse that violently spreads across the lower half of his body.
—Star Tribune, 13 June 2021
Pillar crashed into the fence at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Thursday and suffered a charley horse, but remained in the game until the Giants lost 10-2.
—Kerry Crowley, The Mercury News, 2 Aug. 2019
Shortly after UConn’s 100-49 victory over South Florida Saturday night, Kia Nurse stood in the bowels of the Sun Dome and was asked if a charley horse sustained three days earlier at East Carolina was much of an issue.
—Mike Anthony, courant.com, 7 Jan. 2018
All of a sudden there’s a loud scream, and sobs from a shopper who got a charley horse.
—Allison P. Davis, The Cut, 29 Sep. 2017
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'charley horse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Charley horse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/charley%20horse. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
charley horse
noun
char·ley horse
ˈchär-lē-ˌhȯrs
: pain and stiffness from muscular strain or bruise especially in a leg
Medical Definition
charley horse
noun
char·ley horse
ˈchär-lē-ˌhȯrs
: a muscular pain, cramping, or stiffness especially of the quadriceps that results from a strain or bruise
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