Definition of charley horsenext
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 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 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 See All Example Sentences for charley horse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for charley horse
Noun
  • In recent years, Michigan has typically reported around 50 cases of cyclosporiasis, which causes urgent bouts of watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and nausea.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 14 July 2026
  • People who have been outside too long in extreme heat may develop excessive sweating, nausea, vomiting and muscle cramps; clear signals the body is overwhelmed and needs to be cooled down and rehydrated.
    Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 14 July 2026
Noun
  • The canine subsequently bit a crew member, who required 15 stitches.
    Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026
  • The cotton overalls have the notable back pocket stitch design and a relaxed fit that emphasizes your shape.
    Olivia Dubyak, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Charley horse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/charley%20horse. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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