1
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
a paroxysm of laughter greeted the pratfall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Preparing a tax return can trigger paroxysms of stress at the best of times.
—
Daniel De Visé,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
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 post is now nearing a hundred million views and inspiring paroxysms of millennial self-reckoning.
—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
13 Aug. 2025
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
Daniel De Visé,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
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 post is now nearing a hundred million views and inspiring paroxysms of millennial self-reckoning.
—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
13 Aug. 2025
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
Noun
-
Tuesday night's explosion from Contreras had actually been 24 hours in the making.
-
Authorities in the wealthy city-state of Monaco have launched a manhunt that’s stretched across the border into France after several people were wounded in an explosion caused by a bomb that was planted in a residential building.
Noun
-
The federal government accelerated efforts to subdue resistance, bringing years of hardship and upheaval for Native Americans.
-
The two respond to the upheaval in different ways, one embracing a new lease on life, the other feeling unmoored and disoriented.
Noun
-
Bryson Stott's three-run homer highlighted Philadelphia's eight-run outburst in the ninth inning and the Phillies rallied to beat the Washington Nationals 14-9 on Tuesday night.
-
The symptoms often look different in dads—anger or sudden outbursts, irritability and substance misuse, for example.
Noun
-
Haiti also did it without playing a single qualifying match in Haiti because of unrest.
-
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party retained its large parliamentary majority in recent elections overshadowed by unrest in Africa’s second-most-populous country.
Noun
-
San Francisco real estate agent Butch Haze of Compass has seen tech booms followed by ravenous bursts of homebuying since the first internet gold rush of the late 1990s.
-
True to its name, Swift is designed to pivot quickly to capture late-breaking astronomical events such as gamma ray bursts and exploding stars.
Noun
-
Shares have jumped 80% in the year to date as an ongoing memory supply crunch accelerates the adoption of lithography equipment for the production of semiconductors required to power the AI revolution.
-
Haitian soldiers seasoned on American battlefields during the revolution later sparked Haiti’s overthrow of French colonial rule, depriving France of its most profitable slave colony and ending one of the most brutal enslavement of human beings in modern world history.
Noun
-
The hotel staff can help direct you to info about eruptions, closures, and options for outdoor experiences.
-
The video then shows an eruption of flames from what sources say were lithium batteries from an e-bike that was in the living room.
Noun
-
It is known to cause neurological problems, convulsions and comas, with children particularly at risk.
-
The Gentlemen’s Club, for all its odd and difficult convulsions, is a heartening step in a positive direction.
Cite this Entry
“Paroxysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paroxysm. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
