1
as in bursts
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
a paroxysm of laughter greeted the pratfall
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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 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
-
Upon first spritz, the perfume bursts with caramel, coconut, and vanilla, balanced by fresh citrus to prevent it from becoming saccharine sweet.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
16 Apr. 2026
-
However, during stronger bursts, the aurora could dip farther south, giving states like Oregon, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire a chance to catch a glow low on the northern horizon, per NOAA forecasts.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The vaccination campaign for measles was disrupted during Bangladesh's recent political upheavals.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Sitting around a wood stove and drinking cups of coffee and tea, the residents reflected on the upheavals that had become a regular feature of their lives.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This time, there wasn’t nearly as long of a gap between scoring outbursts.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Director Matt Pfeiffer tries not to tie it too strongly to an extreme light or dark mood but does keep up a snappy pace, plays most of the angriest outbursts for laughs and takes good advantage of the openness of the Playhouse on Park stage area.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But her vitals are strong and there’s startling force in her unpredictable convulsions and bone-chilling noises.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The country, meanwhile, was experiencing a series of convulsions.—
Azadeh Moaveni,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In California, with its history of wildfires often caused by arson or negligence, prosecutors have not shied away from filing criminal charges, including murder, against people suspected of starting blazes or explosions, Taylor said.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2026
-
If such rockets could be launched at sea, then explosions would be less of an issue for neighbouring population centers.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Architectural revolutions in health care are rare, and institutions do not easily relinquish their position at the center of the record.—
Celina Yong,
STAT,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Some commemorate revolutions, like Mexico City’s Monumento a la Revolución, and others, like Lisbon’s Rua Augusta Arch, symbolize the strength of a people.—
Marco Hernandez,
New York Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The idea underpinning this film is that when two friends get together, there are both literal and figurative eruptions.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Major eruptions of pushback against Meta include the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018, when the unauthorized harvesting of personal data from up to 87 million Facebook users was used for political advertising, adding to criticisms that the site pushes divisive and extreme political content.—
Ryan Cormier,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That makes for five minor quakes since Easter Sunday, all centered in a region where earthquakes have been uncommon in the past 26 years.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Apr. 2026
-
From wildfires fueled by heat and drought to floods and debris flows following record rainfall — and the ever-present risk of earthquakes — natural disasters are an ongoing reality in Southern California.—
Cox Communications,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paroxysms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paroxysms. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
