1
as in cramp
a painful sudden tightening of a muscle
he suffers terribly from back spasms
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in burst
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
a spasm of love that he had never experienced before
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 spasm
Earlier this year, a lower back muscle spasm from a workout forced him to withdraw from The Arnold Palmer Invitational and raised concerns over his participating in The Players Championship.
—
Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
The condition caused spasms affecting her ability to walk and use her vocal cords.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
In 2016, Brooks could not even conceive of the spasms and breaches of etiquette that Trumpism would produce on an almost daily basis.
—Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
In 2022, Dion canceled her North America tour due to muscle spasms.
—Katie Simons, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spasm
Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
The condition caused spasms affecting her ability to walk and use her vocal cords.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
In 2016, Brooks could not even conceive of the spasms and breaches of etiquette that Trumpism would produce on an almost daily basis.
—Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
In 2022, Dion canceled her North America tour due to muscle spasms.
—Katie Simons, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spasm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spasm
Noun
-
People may develop severe abdominal cramps and diarrhea that is often bloody.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The Eagles credited their stamina in their 41 to 14 victory to drinking pickle juice, which helped prevent dehydration and muscle cramps.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In that last year — like the end of a fireworks show — the lawyers set off a burst of filings and arguments over what evidence and which experts could go in front of a jury.—
Joe Mahr,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Such districts are often formed when a school district is experiencing a burst of development or enrollment growth concentrated in certain areas, explained Erica Gonzales, a managing director at the investment bank Stifel who specializes in California school financing.—
Jemma Stephenson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Days after the explosion, Amin called his mother in Iran again, with better news.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
However, an oxygen-tank explosion 56 hours after launch scotched those plans and put the mission into survival mode.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Risks are higher during periods of greater solar activity, which follows an 11-year cycle that researchers track by tallying the dark sunspots that represent magnetic storms capable of producing outbursts.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
31 Mar. 2026
-
No one, not even Jason — who is baffled at the galley’s sudden collapse — is more surprised at Ellie’s outburst than Ben.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The last eruption of nationwide gatherings in October drew approximately 7 million people, according to their tally.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Aurora chasers will also be getting excited about the prospect of a possible glancing blow from the speedy CME released during the eruption.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As Juliet’s father (a stern but measured Clark Gregg) hands servant Peter (Jamie Ankrah) the guest list for that night’s feast, a bright white light flashes and the room goes dark, accompanied by the sound of a power surge.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The main concern with these storms is moderate to heavy rainfall that could lead to minor river flooding and flash flooding, the weather service said.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Skies are expected to be partly sunny, with highs near 75 degrees and east winds between 5 and 15 mph, with gusts up to 20 mph, according to the National Weather Service office in Melbourne.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
-
One strong gust of wind can be enough to flip one of these trailers onto its side.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spasm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spasm. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
