as in upheaval
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order)
the Russian Revolution was one of the major convulsions of the 20th century
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Recent Examples of convulsion
What Experts Say The ACIP agenda had noted a two-hour block to discuss the MMRV vaccine, including a presentation on febrile seizure, a type of convulsion, following the vaccine—a very rare complication, seen predominantly in children between 12 and 23 months old.
—
Andrea Tamayo, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 2025
Christopher Rufo, another influential Trumpist, who led the move against diversity initiatives that eventually became a core tenet of the second Trump Administration, invoked the political convulsions of the nineteen-sixties.
—Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2025
An hour later, Bradley Fullerton’s cellmate sought help because Fullerton was having convulsions, according to the filing.
—Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2025
At the end of almost 4 billion years, on a planet bereft of complex life, the Earth had been suddenly throttled by the most extreme convulsions of the carbon cycle in its entire history.
—Peter Brannen
august 28, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for convulsion
Andrea Tamayo, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 2025
Christopher Rufo, another influential Trumpist, who led the move against diversity initiatives that eventually became a core tenet of the second Trump Administration, invoked the political convulsions of the nineteen-sixties.
—Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2025
An hour later, Bradley Fullerton’s cellmate sought help because Fullerton was having convulsions, according to the filing.
—Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2025
At the end of almost 4 billion years, on a planet bereft of complex life, the Earth had been suddenly throttled by the most extreme convulsions of the carbon cycle in its entire history.
—Peter Brannen
august 28, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for convulsion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for convulsion
Noun
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Al-Sudani, who rose to power after that upheaval, insisted his government had taken tangible steps to restore public trust, such as economic progress and political stability.—
Emma Graham,
CNBC,
15 Oct. 2025
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But this journey takes place during the 1993 Nigerian election crisis, a moment of profound historical upheaval and political unrest — when everything is on the verge of change.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Employers can tap our natural human urge to connect through culture-building and clear organizational purpose – especially during rapid transformation like the AI revolution and other economic pressures.—
Jason Del Rey,
Fortune,
15 Oct. 2025
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Appelhans compared today’s animation landscape to music’s digital revolution.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Duffy did not cite specific intelligence, but his remarks echoed broader administration warnings about potential unrest tied to the protests this Saturday.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
17 Oct. 2025
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Missouri is chasing a rebound to keep its SEC title hopes alive, while Auburn and head coach Hugh Freeze are trying to quiet growing unrest.—
Zach Sweet,
Kansas City Star,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The first is an earthquake that rattles the house into disarray.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Oct. 2025
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Historical evidence suggests that a powerful earthquake and tsunami struck Alexandria centuries ago, causing much of the land to sink into the Mediterranean.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Convulsion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/convulsion. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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