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
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
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
-
Sperm whales communicate via bursts of clicks, called codas, and the researchers—part of a project called the Cetacean Translation Initiative, or CETI—are hoping one day to decipher what the codas mean.—
Elizabeth Kolbert,
New Yorker,
26 Mar. 2026
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And Falkous, for all that his bursts of mad atonality hit the ear first, knows precisely where to hammer in every syllable for the maximum impact.—
Alex Robert Ross,
Pitchfork,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Over the course of the twentieth century, with its endless economic and political upheavals, the numbers of both people and reindeer in the camp have dwindled.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Epic survived upheavals in 1990’s with the move from 2D to 3D with Unreal 1; in the 2000’s building console games with Gears of War; and in 2012 moving to online gaming with Paragon and Fortnite.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Cronin has received his share – more than his share, actually – of negative fan reaction for his frequent outbursts at players.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Still, wanting to be a team player, Anthony is warm, friendly, and offers an encouraging word to the future CEO — despite Dougie’s obvious nerves and his random outbursts in Jamaican Patois.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The country, meanwhile, was experiencing a series of convulsions.—
Azadeh Moaveni,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Symptoms of bird flu in mammals include tremors, convulsions, seizures and muscle weakness.—
Susanne Rust
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In Israel, loud explosions filled the air in Tel Aviv and emergency crews responded to nearly a dozen impact sites.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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According to the Iranian media, one witness reported hearing multiple explosions near Mashhad Airport shortly after 7 pm, local time.—
Moriah Thomas,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As is true of many revolutions in flowering plants, some seagrass lineages doubled then edited entire genomes.—
David George Haskell,
Big Think,
27 Mar. 2026
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Beginning with folk roots, and inspired by Bob Dylan going electric, the Grateful Dead continually adapted and evolved and became indelibly linked with both of the revolutions which began in San Francisco in the post-WW2 period.—
Mike Hanlon
March 22,
New Atlas,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Other prominent arsenic peaks, alongside major sulfate peaks, likely indicate major volcanic events that align with records of 13th century eruptions recorded in Greenland and Antarctic ice cores.—
Nidhi Sharma,
Popular Science,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Article continues below Previous eruptions have caused massive damage and fatalities.—
Brett Tingley,
Space.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2026
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Hot on the Trail For decades, scientists have used earthquakes to track magma, but the work was often slow and imprecise.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paroxysms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paroxysms. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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