1
as in bursts
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
a paroxysm of laughter greeted the pratfall
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in upheavals
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
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Recent Examples of paroxysms
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paroxysms
Noun
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Focaccia bursts with the flavors of a Chicago hot dog.
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The presence of this ultraviolet light, and the star-forming history of the cluster producing it, suggests that bursts of star formation contributed to waves of ionizing radiation that gradually cleared out the opaque neutral hydrogen.
Noun
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Earth-impacting shrapnel from those primordial upheavals may have helped seed our planet with the precursors for life, delivering water and organic compounds from the dark, icy depths of the outer solar system.
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Miniature upheavals by the courthouse steps.
Noun
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There have been intermittent outbursts of violence against immigrants since then.
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Police said Poirier continued making verbal outbursts and took an aggressive stance toward officers.
Noun
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The Gentlemen’s Club, for all its odd and difficult convulsions, is a heartening step in a positive direction.
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The Gentlemen’s Club, for all its odd and difficult convulsions, is a heartening step in a positive direction.
Noun
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The satellite's primary objective, though, is to observe gamma-ray bursts – events triggered by the catastrophic deaths of massive stars and considered to be the most powerful types of explosions in the universe.
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The observatory has spent over two decades as a sort of orbital sentinel that scans the cosmos for gamma-ray bursts, ready to quickly point itself at the short-lived — but insanely powerful — space explosions at a moment's notice.
Noun
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The Courant has reported some colonists were not exactly thrilled by the notion of severing ties with England and that true believers in independence probably initially were in the minority, as with all revolutions.
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A16z partners, including SDN pioneers Martin Casado and Raghu Raghuram, see Netris as essential for the AI era, akin to past data center networking revolutions.
Noun
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The hotel staff can help direct you to info about eruptions, closures, and options for outdoor experiences.
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During The Great Dying, massive volcanic eruptions triggered catastrophic climate changes that altered the planet’s entire biosphere.
Noun
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Satellite photos showed the destruction in Venezuela left by two powerful earthquakes that struck Wednesday and left more than 900 people dead.
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Countries around the Caribbean Sea are vulnerable to major earthquakes because of the tectonic plates in the region.
Cite this Entry
“Paroxysms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paroxysms. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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