paroxysm

noun

ˈper-ək-ˌsi-zəm How to pronounce paroxysm (audio)
Definition of paroxysmnext
1
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling a paroxysm of laughter greeted the pratfall

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in upheaval
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order) Darwin's introduction of the theory of evolution created paroxysms in both religion and science that are still being felt today

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 paroxysm Also, stars in this frenzied state aren’t terribly stable; the fusion rate can be tempestuous, and the star undergoes incredibly violent paroxysms. — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 20 Mar. 2026 The lack of oxygen sends your body into frenzied paroxysms of cringe. — Hallie Cantor, New Yorker, 8 Jan. 2026 Less than a paroxysm of triumph, Ferran Torres’ winning goal pierced the tension and sent a small pocket of Spain superfans behind the goal into shrieks of relief. — Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2019 Finally, the paroxysms of violence across the arc of instability from North Africa to South Asia have led some observers to conclude that disorder in the Middle East could threaten the entire global order. — Jake Sullivan, Foreign Affairs, 5 Mar. 2018 See All Example Sentences for paroxysm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paroxysm
  1. explosion
  2. upheaval
  3. outburst
  4. unrest
  5. burst
  6. revolution
  7. eruption
  8. convulsion
Noun
  • There’s been an explosion that has caused a giant ice shelf dubbed Judy, one roughly the size of Boston, to detach.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Blowing up a nuclear bomb in space would first destroy or disable any nearby satellites, and then the damage would spread as electronics-frying energetic particles from the explosion contaminated huge swaths of orbit.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of explosion
Noun
  • Drawing on home movies, street-protest footage, newspapers, sketches, photographs, and recorded voices, Ahangarani intertwines her life story with more than four decades of political upheaval.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026
  • At a time of massive industry upheaval, most observers believe that the company will have to lay off droves of workers to bring its costs down.
    — Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of upheaval
Noun
  • During the 1990s, mafia-style killings of public figures were a common occurrence in Bulgaria, but the latest outburst of violence has shocked the country, amid a heated campaign for presidential elections next month.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Behavioral therapies, which are standard in foster care settings, use punishments and rewards to get children to control outbursts, anger and other problematic behaviors.
    — Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of outburst
Noun
  • Citing the country's judiciary, IRNA said the men took part in unrest in the northeastern city of Mashhad that left four members of the security forces dead earlier this year.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The unrest was followed by sustained opposition to government efforts to house asylum seekers in communities across the country, with some protests also descending into violent clashes.
    — Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of unrest
Noun
  • The laser accelerated electrons through a gas, directing them into a solid target to create light bursts that generated muon pairs.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 Oct. 2026
  • In bursts of bright stanzas, Chen Chen transports us through the landscape of his childhood into his early twenties.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • As this revolution unfolds, the debris-clearing, satellite-rescuing capabilities of RPOs could ensure the sky doesn’t fall, keeping the orbital environment safe and accessible for all.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Many English, Welsh and Scottish people and most Irish people remained Catholic and thus opposed to the official religion, but the state churches were marching steadily away from them and toward fundamentalist revolution.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of revolution
Noun
  • The vehicle splashed down intact in the northern Pacific Ocean three hours and eight minutes after liftoff, causing another eruption of cheers from the folks gathered at Starbase.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Surveillance video from the park shows an eruption of gunfire that lasted about 30 seconds as people fled the area.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of eruption
Noun
  • In amphibians, chytridiomycosis causes a wide variety of symptoms including skin damage, red skin, convulsions, and eventually leads to heart failure.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Signs of infection include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss and paralysis.
    — Esther Launstein, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of convulsion

Browse Nearby Words

paroling
paroxysm
paroxysmal
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Cite this Entry

“Paroxysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paroxysm. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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