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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Rising number of violent incidents, 911 calls But reducing the inmate population did not solve the problem with drugs and violence.—
Kristine Phillips,
IndyStar,
5 Nov. 2025 -
After Maggie and Paul were shot to death on June 7, 2021, Alex was found guilty of two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime, earning two consecutive life sentences without possibility of parole.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Just a big ferocious ball of meat, claws, and teeth.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
31 Oct. 2025
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Though the storm did not make a direct hit on Haiti, its ferocious rains caused rivers to flood and jump their banks.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In intra-party diplo-speak, that was about as fierce a burn as can come from the party’s central committee.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
10 Nov. 2025
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The city’s fierce weather pattern is fueled by the same Arctic air mass expected to sweep through the eastern two-thirds of the US this week.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The Dallas Mavericks fired general manager Nico Harrison on Tuesday, marking the end of a turbulent tenure defined by bold moves, fan unrest, and a season that spiraled after the controversial Luka Dončić trade.—
Andy Scholes,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
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Prewitt, who has led IFTA and the AFM through some of the most turbulent years in the history of independent film — through the rise of streaming and the collapse of the theatrical market, the COVID shutdowns and the dual strikes — will be stepping down after this year’s AFM.—
Kevin Cassidy,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Cue more furious backlash from the Democratic base.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
11 Nov. 2025
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Sources said Turness, the BBC News chief, was blocked by the board from making a statement, a turn of events that is said to have left her furious.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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In 2022, debris from an underwater volcanic eruption severed the island's only subsea communication cable, cutting the island off from the rest of the world.—
Magdalena Petrova,
CNBC,
8 Nov. 2025
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Other materials such as tephra, or hot glassy volcanic fragments, as well as volcanic ash, pumice, scoria and reticulite can fall on the ground within 1 to 3 miles of the eruptive vents.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Paroxysmal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paroxysmal. Accessed 20 Nov. 2025.
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