as in upheavals
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 convulsions
Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, loss of balance and convulsions.
—
Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
Symptoms can be severe and include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, sometimes following gastrointestinal symptoms.
—News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Symptoms of the more serious illness include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis, according to the CDC.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 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
Widespread abuse can lead to sudden cardiac arrest, convulsions, strokes and death.
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 28 Dec. 2024
Abuse can lead to irregular heartbeat, ischemic heart conditions, sudden cardiac arrest, convulsions, strokes and death.
—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 25 Dec. 2024
Exposure to larger doses of the gas can cause loss of consciousness, cardiac arrest, possibly leading to death, coma, convulsions, paralysis, respiratory failure, and seizures.
—Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 25 Dec. 2024
Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
Symptoms can be severe and include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, sometimes following gastrointestinal symptoms.
—News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Symptoms of the more serious illness include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis, according to the CDC.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 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
Widespread abuse can lead to sudden cardiac arrest, convulsions, strokes and death.
—Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 28 Dec. 2024
Abuse can lead to irregular heartbeat, ischemic heart conditions, sudden cardiac arrest, convulsions, strokes and death.
—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 25 Dec. 2024
Exposure to larger doses of the gas can cause loss of consciousness, cardiac arrest, possibly leading to death, coma, convulsions, paralysis, respiratory failure, and seizures.
—Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 25 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for convulsions
Noun
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Each storm sparked a wave of scientific inquiry, until, in the early twentieth century, scientists finally understood why electrifying societies had grown precariously vulnerable to environmental upheavals on the Sun.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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The Industry Has Handled Huge Shifts Before When discussion turned to AI, Pearn recalled earlier upheavals.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Nowhere have these coups and revolutions promoted and funded by NED (and the CIA itself) been even remotely successful.—
Ron Paul,
Oc Register,
14 Oct. 2025
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These novels were published before the revolutions of 1989, which would topple communism in the country.—
Walt Hunter,
The Atlantic,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Convulsions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/convulsions. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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