as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
paroxysmal mood swings that made being around him very challenging
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paroxysmal
Adjective
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Year-to-date violent crime, as of Aug. 5, is down 26% compared to the year before, and the 2024 figure dropped 35% from 2023.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
7 Aug. 2025 -
Shortly thereafter, Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections and staged a violent coup to overthrow the Palestinian Authority and seize control of the Strip.—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Typical confusion and disruption for a ferocious Vikings unit led by blitz enthusiast and defensive coordinator Brian Flores, but a shock to the Patriots’ offensive system.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
13 Aug. 2025
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Aquaman star Jason Momoa learned that lesson the hard way while attempting a miles-long paddle through ferocious Hawaiian waters and nearly not coming back up.—
Ryan Coleman Published,
EW.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Nonetheless, the show’s premiere provides the perfect moment to map out the slimy, menacing world of Ellen Ripley and company in their epic battle against one of the galaxy’s fiercest creatures.—
Dan Heching,
CNN Money,
12 Aug. 2025
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On a subsequent rally, Kaylee smacked a fierce shot past me, scoring her team a point.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Sheckler and Kells have used the parallels in their turbulent journeys in the spotlight to lean on one another, making their bond stronger over the years.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
14 Aug. 2025
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The two were married in 2012, and in the 13 years that followed, Krein was spotted from time to time with the powerful political family as his father-in-law navigated a presidential campaign and turbulent term in the White House.—
Kyler Alvord,
People.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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And plenty of fans are furious that Childers has embraced studio bells and whistles — there’s vocoder and drum loops on some songs — and is no longer singing exclusively about hardscrabble Appalachian life à la his 2017 debut Purgatory.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
4 Aug. 2025
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Taiwan’s progressives, furious at the resulting obstruction, thus gathered enough signatures to vote on recalling roughly a third of the KMT’s legislators.—
LEV NACHMAN,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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At least 20,000 residents lived in the economic hub prior to the huge earthquakes and volcanic eruption that famously destroyed the city.—
Andrew Paul Aug 7,
Popular Science,
7 Aug. 2025
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Because of this, Gudmundsson says, about 35 percent of Iceland’s volcanic eruptions happen through glaciers.—
Robin Catalano,
Robb Report,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Hess toys have been sold since 1964 and have a rabid fan based.—
Chris Morris,
Fortune,
30 July 2025
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The bars and restaurants around Knoxville are full of rabid fans on gamedays.—
Keith Sharon,
The Tennessean,
28 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Paroxysmal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paroxysmal. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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