1
as in turbulent
marked by sudden or violent disturbance
the assassination of Martin Luther King was one of the most convulsive events of the 1960s
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
after a day of convulsive trading, the stock market was down 300 points
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 convulsive
The buck took a convulsive jump that carried him about 30 ft. and piled up.
—
Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 24 Sep. 2025
During the past six months, Bondi has presided over the most convulsive transition of power in the Justice Department since the Watergate era, and perhaps in the hundred-and-fifty-five-year history of the department.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
But for anyone with a taste for operatic violence and fountains of blood as shotgun and assault rifle blasts send bodies flying in slo-mo or dancing like convulsive marionettes, Gareth Evans’ gritty neo-noir will be just the ticket.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 24 Apr. 2025
In the middle of all this came a convulsive shock, the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
—Adam Goldman, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for convulsive
Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 24 Sep. 2025
During the past six months, Bondi has presided over the most convulsive transition of power in the Justice Department since the Watergate era, and perhaps in the hundred-and-fifty-five-year history of the department.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
But for anyone with a taste for operatic violence and fountains of blood as shotgun and assault rifle blasts send bodies flying in slo-mo or dancing like convulsive marionettes, Gareth Evans’ gritty neo-noir will be just the ticket.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 24 Apr. 2025
In the middle of all this came a convulsive shock, the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
—Adam Goldman, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for convulsive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for convulsive
Adjective
-
Though the region of the Milky Way called the Galactic Center is expected to be replete with pulsars, spotting them is challenging because of how extreme, turbulent, and densely packed the heart of our galaxy is.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
21 Feb. 2026
-
It’s been a turbulent few years for Ubisoft.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Again, legal observers and ordinary citizens captured his violent death from several angles.—
Nick Woltman,
Twin Cities,
22 Feb. 2026
-
As the hours passed, violent events were replicated in Colima, Nayarit, Aguascalientes and Guanajuato, where blockades and attacks on infrastructure are multiplying.—
Claudia Núñez,
AZCentral.com,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This time, the soloist was the stellar emerging pianist Yunchan Lim, who keeps to himself, either lost in dreamy reverie or, like a jumpy teenager, in ferocious attack mode.—
Classical Music Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Fullerton's ferocious winds toppled trees onto homes, cars and trucks, jolting neighbors awake early Wednesday morning.—
Michele Gile,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Born in 1941 to an unwed teenage mother in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson turned heads early with his fierce drive and athletic ability.—
Mark Whitaker,
CBS News,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Göransson saw off fierce competition, including Alexandre Desplat, a 13-time nominee and three-time winner of the category; the latter was nominated for his score for Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein.—
Thomas Smith,
Billboard,
22 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Some still vividly recall the heavy, thick pall of smoke that drifted through the entire region, fed by furious wildfires to the east and north.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Both of these rabbis were already furious about the formation of the American Council for Judaism, an anti-Zionist organization that a group of German Jews, including Julian, had founded in 1942.—
Nicholas Lemann,
New Yorker,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In the area with cold plunging and a sauna, the walls undulate with patterns that change color, designed to evoke arctic caves and volcanic rock.—
Shelby Hartman,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Mineral-rich mud pools, thermal baths, and sulfur springs are reminders of the island's volcanic origins.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The news broke the hearts of the rabid fans eager to see a more brutalist Michelangelo on a vengeance mission on the big screen.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 Feb. 2026
-
In its place, frustration has grown within a rabid fan base that was hoping the front office would find a way to add Giannis Antetokounmpo or another big star to help fill the large void that Butler’s injury created.—
Nick Friedell,
New York Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Convulsive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/convulsive. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
