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
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Recent Examples of paroxysms
The post is now nearing a hundred million views and inspiring paroxysms of millennial self-reckoning.
—
Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2025
Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paroxysms
Noun
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Also, some bursts showed strong circular polarization, a signal characteristic of magnetic processes.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Hulu has steadily built a library of bold, thought-provoking miniseries that have managed to entertain audiences in short bursts.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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But land does offer a hedge against inflation, diversification against economic upheavals, and provides a certainty that isn’t available with assets whose value can evaporate in a short time span, like Washington Mutual or Enron.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
1 Feb. 2026
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Last year, the global development sector faced enormous upheavals, with the United States and other donor countries slashing aid budgets even as low-income countries struggled with debt burdens.—
Reem Alabali Radovan,
Fortune,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Last year, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy launched an air travel civility campaign, noting that the FAA had seen a 400% increase of in-flight outbursts since 2019 and 13,800 unruly passenger incidents since 2021.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Feb. 2026
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With 2026 aligning with the roughly 80-year rhythm of past outbursts, however, astronomers have shifted some attention to late June.—
Michael d'Estries,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Meanwhile, White speculates that the Hong Kong funds also got pummeled by headwinds in the Yen-carry trade—which made their financing more expensive—and exposure to recent convulsions in the silver market.—
Jeff John Roberts,
Fortune,
6 Feb. 2026
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Some permanent changes among survivors have been noted, including persistent convulsions.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Ukrainian officials said powerful explosions and secondary detonations were recorded at the site, while the extent of damage was still being assessed.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
13 Feb. 2026
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But these explosions do not trigger a nuclear chain reaction.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In its simplest two-magnet form, the motor reaches about 1,300 revolutions per minute (RPM) before gearing.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Feb. 2026
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But revolutions usually start small.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Serpell observes that even Pecola thrills to eruptions of beauty on a familiar rundown street that otherwise go unseen.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
17 Feb. 2026
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Black carbon has increased in recent decades with more ship traffic in the Arctic, and nearby Iceland has periodic volcanic eruptions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
10 Feb. 2026
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An earpiece was initially proposed strictly for emergencies — earthquakes, sudden weather changes — but Honnold readily agreed to stay connected and converse occasionally with the broadcast team below.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paroxysms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paroxysms. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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