1
: an involuntary and abnormal muscular contraction
2
: a sudden violent and temporary effort, emotion, or sensation
a spasm of creativity
spasms of pain
spasm
intransitive verb
Examples of spasm in a Sentence
a disease that causes muscle spasms
He was racked with coughing spasms.
She was suffering spasms of guilt.
Recent Examples on the Web
Threw five gutsy innings in Game 7 of the 2019 World Series after overcoming painful spasms in his neck and upper right trapezius.
—
Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Wright said Ad Land’s contribution to paying off the annual rights bill has been remarkably consistent over the last 10 years, holding steady at around that 50% mark despite a range of marketplace disruptions and various spasms at the macroeconomic level.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2025
Hart has been dealing with back spasms and, as a result, hasn't appeared in New York's last two preseason games.
—Gabe Smallson, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Ask your doctor about over-the-counter or prescription medication options to help manage pain and spasms.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spasm
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Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Wright said Ad Land’s contribution to paying off the annual rights bill has been remarkably consistent over the last 10 years, holding steady at around that 50% mark despite a range of marketplace disruptions and various spasms at the macroeconomic level.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2025
Hart has been dealing with back spasms and, as a result, hasn't appeared in New York's last two preseason games.
—Gabe Smallson, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Ask your doctor about over-the-counter or prescription medication options to help manage pain and spasms.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spasm
Cite this Entry
“Spasm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spasm. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spasm
noun1
: a sudden uncontrolled contracting of muscles
back spasms
2
: a sudden violent and temporary effort, emotion, or outburst
a spasm of creativity
spasm
verb
Medical Definition
spasm
noun1
: an involuntary and abnormal contraction of muscle or muscle fibers or of a hollow organ (as an artery, the colon, or the esophagus) that consists largely of involuntary muscle fibers
2
: the state or condition of a muscle or organ affected with spasms
the renal artery went into spasm
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