convulse

verb

con·vulse | \ kən-ˈvəls

convulsed; convulsing

Definition of convulse

transitive verb

: to shake or agitate violently especially : to shake with or as if with irregular spasms was convulsed with laughter

intransitive verb

: to become affected with convulsions

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about convulse

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Choose the Right Synonym for convulse

shake, agitate, rock, convulse mean to move up and down or to and fro with some violence. shake often carries a further implication of a particular purpose. shake well before using agitate suggests a violent and prolonged tossing or stirring. an ocean agitated by storms rock suggests a swinging or swaying motion resulting from violent impact or upheaval. the whole city was rocked by the explosion convulse suggests a violent pulling or wrenching as of a body in a paroxysm. spectators were convulsed with laughter

Examples of convulse in a Sentence

The patient reacted to the medication and began convulsing. The country was convulsed by war.

Recent Examples on the Web

The papier-mâché likeness of the Statue of Liberty appeared in Tiananmen Square as protests convulsed Beijing and other cities seeking to unshackle the world’s most populous country from endemic corruption. — Laignee Barron / Hong Kong, Time, "How the Tiananmen Square Massacre Changed China Forever," 4 June 2019 In late 2015 and early 2016, markets convulsed amid fears of a Chinese slowdown and that nation’s bungled currency devaluation. — Eric Morath, WSJ, "Fed Faces a Fresh Test: Engineering a Soft Economic Landing," 6 Jan. 2019 Stock and bond markets routinely convulse when the Fed is tightening monetary policy by raising rates. — Eric Morath, WSJ, "Fed Faces a Fresh Test: Engineering a Soft Economic Landing," 6 Jan. 2019 The performance began with a spotlit Taylor Stanley, who elegantly convulsed before initiating a full-on dance party with the aid of seven other dancers. — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, "The New York City Ballet Hosts a Fall Gala to Remember With Costumes by Gareth Pugh, Alberta Ferretti, and Giles Deacon," 28 Sep. 2018 But as California has convulsed in tragedy — a mass shooting and an outbreak of wildfires that included the deadliest in the state’s history — the president has not only offered little comfort but heaped on criticism. — Matt Viser, The Seattle Times, "Trump blames California for natural disaster, adding to denunciations of strongly Democratic state," 13 Nov. 2018 The oil-rich region and other cities in Iraq's southern Shiite heartland have been convulsed by the most serious protests in years, with residents complaining of power outages, filthy tap water and soaring unemployment. — Fox News, "Calm returns to Iraq's Basra after week of violent protests," 9 Sep. 2018 The city’s geological stratigraphy has been repeatedly convulsed, metamorphosed under spectacular pressures. — Greg Woolf, WSJ, "‘Rome: A History in Seven Sackings’ Review: The City That Survived," 29 June 2018 The fighting has become a predictable cycle of violence as the region convulses with decades-old animosities over Kashmir, where rebel groups demand that the territory be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country. — Fox News, "India says Pakistan firing kills 4 soldiers in Kashmir," 12 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'convulse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

14 Jun 2019

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The first known use of convulse was in 1614

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More Definitions for convulse

convulse

verb

English Language Learners Definition of convulse

medical : to have an experience in which the muscles in your body shake in a sudden violent way that you are not able to control : to experience convulsions

formal : to affect (someone or something) suddenly and violently

See the full definition for convulse in the English Language Learners Dictionary

convulse

verb

con·vulse | \ kən-ˈvəls

convulsed; convulsing