Synonyms of convulse

convulse

verb

kən-ˈvəls 

as in to shake

to make a series of small irregular or violent movements

convulsing with silent laughter as the inept pianist blithely played on

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shake
• shudder
• vibrate
• jerk
• tremble
• quiver
• shiver
• twitch
• agitate
• quake
• sway
• wobble
• jiggle
• bucket
• jolt
• throb
• joggle
• jounce
• judder
• flicker
• swing
• rock
• wave
• flutter
• pulsate
• oscillate
• waver
• undulate
• chatter
• thrill
• palpitate
• fluctuate
• pulse
• quaver
• dodder
• pit-a-pat
• beat
• pitter-patter

Synonym Chooser

How is the word convulse different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of convulse are agitate, rock, and shake. While all these words mean "to move up and down or to and fro with some violence," convulse suggests a violent pulling or wrenching as of a body in a paroxysm.

spectators were convulsed with laughter

In what contexts can agitate take the place of convulse?

The synonyms agitate and convulse are sometimes interchangeable, but agitate suggests a violent and prolonged tossing or stirring.

an ocean agitated by storms

When could rock be used to replace convulse?

In some situations, the words rock and convulse are roughly equivalent. However, rock suggests a swinging or swaying motion resulting from violent impact or upheaval.

the whole city was rocked by the explosion

Where would shake be a reasonable alternative to convulse?

While the synonyms shake and convulse are close in meaning, shake often carries a further implication of a particular purpose.

shake well before using

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of convulse

Hong Kong’s position as a once-outspoken corner of China has been upended in recent years by a national security crackdown following huge and often violent democracy protests that convulsed the city in 2019. — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026

These empires all emerged in the aftermath of the great Mongol conquests that spread over the Eurasian steppe in the thirteenth century and convulsed politics far and wide. — Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

The siege of the homes is the latest episode in a wave of settler violence convulsing the occupied West Bank, which Israel seized in the 1967 Mideast war and which would make up the main part of a future Palestinian state. — Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026

The climbdown reflects the fact that, while America has been convulsed by a culture war over eligibility for female sports, the wider sporting world has moved on. — Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026