charley horse

as in cramp
a painful sudden tightening of a muscle had to stop and rest because of a charley horse in his leg

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of charley horse Another boy, who cheerily introduces himself as Curly, succumbs to the pain of a charley horse that as appeared in less than a mile of walking — after receiving his three warnings, he is coldly shot down by The Long Walk soldiers that follow closely behind. Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 25 July 2025 Of course, our new life isn’t all rainbows and butterflies and charley horses. Danielle Kraese, New Yorker, 24 July 2025 After walking Jung Hoo Lee on five pitches to lead off the seventh, Gore left the game alongside a trainer in the middle of a plate appearance against Matt Chapman due to a charley horse in his left leg. Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 23 May 2025 Leg cramps, sometimes called charley horses, are sudden, involuntary muscle contractions that cause intense shooting pain that lasts seconds to minutes. Amy Brownstein, Ms, Rdn, Verywell Health, 31 Oct. 2024 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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for charley horse
Noun
  • Like regular depression, SAD can cause negative feelings like hopelessness, worthlessness, irritability, and guilt; fatigue or reduced energy; a loss of interest in hobbies and activities; and even physical aches and pains (including headaches, cramps, and digestive problems).
    Maggie O'Neill, SELF, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Typical symptoms include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps.
    Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The surprise sight that a pet owner came across while checking their home's security camera footage has left viewers on social media in stitches.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Subtle details such as a a tartan lining or a matching top-stitch on the jeans can make the pieces feel even more unique from a wearer’s perspective, Gayot adds.
    Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2025

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“Charley horse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/charley%20horse. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

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