cramps 1 of 3

noun (1)

plural of cramp
as in contractions
a painful sudden tightening of a muscle I was suddenly awakened by a cramp in my leg

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cramps

2 of 3

noun (2)

plural of cramp
as in obstacles
something that makes movement or progress difficult an antismoking ordinance that was seen as just another cramp on business by bar owners

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cramps

3 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of cramp
as in hinders
to create difficulty for the work or activity of having to constantly entertain guests at the summer cottage was really cramping my writing efforts

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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 cramps
Noun
Bananas contain potassium, which can help prevent muscle cramps that keep you up at night. — Carley Millhone, HEALTH, 14 Aug. 2026 Salmonella infection could result in diarrhea, nausea, headache and stomach cramps. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026 The parasite Cyclospora causes an intestinal illness with symptoms like diarrhea, cramps, and fatigue. — Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 11 Aug. 2026 With heat exhaustion, a person's body temperature may top 101 degrees Fahrenheit, along with symptoms like heavy sweating; cold, pale, clammy skin; tiredness or weakness; muscle cramps; dizziness; nausea or vomiting, and more. — Michael Autovino, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 Salmonella is a foodborne illness that can cause stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting, per the CDC. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 The bacteria causes diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps in most people who are infected. — Eva Flowe august 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Aug. 2026 Symptoms include watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills, according to the CDC. — Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 8 Aug. 2026 This summer has been particularly tough for foodborne illnesses, with reports of explosive diarrhea, severe stomach cramps, hospitalizations, and even deaths. — Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cramps
  1. stitches
  2. obstacles
  3. hinders
  4. spasms
  5. hurdles
  6. hampers
  7. kinks
  8. embarrassments
Noun
  • The four-hour surgery left him with just a few stitches and some bruising, but no issues with breathing, or seeing.
    — Stephanie Stahl, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Then in 2013, her career was upended when a devastating car accident left severe wounds on her face and neck requiring more than 60 stitches.
    — Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of stitches
Noun
  • If the state case does go forward after the likely appeals are exhausted, there are obstacles that could get in the way of a potential trial.
    — Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026
  • If trading partners try to mount further obstacles to Chinese exports, Beijing could turn to tools of economic coercion, such as restricted access to refined critical minerals, to compel other countries to keep their markets open.
    — Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of obstacles
Verb
  • Ultimately, glorifying sleep deprivation is counterproductive; prioritizing sleep is key for career longevity and productivity, while chronic insomnia leads to impaired judgment and hinders professional growth.
    — Mena Mirhom, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Neptune retrograde hinders our intuition, leaving us lost in the fog.
    — Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 15 July 2026
Definition of hinders
Noun
  • Despite Adrian Houser’s excellent start, the Giants lost 2-1 to the Houston Astros on Wednesday afternoon as shortstop Willy Adames exited the game early with back spasms.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Despite the rout in high-flying memory stocks, the VIX stayed well under first-quarter lows and selling in the S&P 500 was contained to momentary spasms.
    — Oliver Renick, CNBC, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of spasms
Noun
  • For 35 years, the mobile clinic has been going into Boston's underserved communities to bring free health screenings and medical advice to people who may have numerous hurdles to find it.
    — Mike Sullivan, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • For some districts like Kalangala — a PURPOSE 1 trial site that wasn't included in the country's initial rollout — the oral route remains but long-standing hurdles persist.
    — Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of hurdles
Verb
  • The lack of open pores in the soil also hampers the movement of air and water.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Cybersecurity experts increasingly warn that restricting access to advanced AI models hampers defenders’ ability to identify vulnerabilities, test systems, and develop countermeasures.
    — James Marks, Fortune, 23 July 2026
Definition of hampers
Noun
  • More and more things are becoming available via drone delivery, and UFC star Conor McGregor just showed us all that there are still some kinks that need to be worked out with this system.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Dokoupil had to work out kinks on air, in real time, and the program’s overall audience still rests below 4 million, a demarcation point for CBS News management in the past.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of kinks
Noun
  • Sitting around a table in the soundstage where the pilot for I Love Lucy was filmed, the six of them tailored the roles to the actors and infused the script with arguments, embarrassments, and confessions from their own relationships.
    — Eliana Dockterman, Time, 26 June 2026
  • The order to whitewash America’s historic sites of anything less than rosy about the nation’s past has led to some predictable embarrassments.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
Definition of embarrassments

Browse Nearby Words

cramp one's style
cramps
cramps one's style
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Cite this Entry

“Cramps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cramps. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of cramps for Spanish Speakers

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