spasm

noun

ˈspa-zəm How to pronounce spasm (audio)
Definition of spasmnext
1
as in cramp
a painful sudden tightening of a muscle he suffers terribly from back spasms

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 Adames departed Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Braves due to back spasms after striking out to end the seventh inning, noticeably grimacing during the follow-through of his swing. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 3 July 2026 Toronto’s Marina Mabrey was a late scratch due to neck spasms, one game after tying the league record with 53 points in a 125-97 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks. — ABC News, 27 June 2026 In van Dongen’s case, the pinching motion required to hold a dart would trigger the spasms. — Kansas City Star, 24 June 2026 Some patients develop spasms of the vocal cords that obstruct the airway. — Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for spasm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spasm
  1. cramp
  2. burst
  3. explosion
  4. outburst
  5. eruption
  6. flash
  7. gust
Noun
  • Gastrointestinal illnesses caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites commonly trigger nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
    — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 19 July 2026
  • Cyclosporiasis has been sickening thousands of people across the country, particularly in Michigan, recently with an intestinal illness causing explosive diarrhea with severe stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, fatigue, and unintended weight loss.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026
Definition of cramp
Noun
  • But Korea is not experiencing large capital inflows or persistent currency appreciation seen in Japan a few years before the bubble burst, giving the Bank of Korea greater flexibility to calibrate policy.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 24 July 2026
  • Over the 2000s, the dot-com bubble burst, a housing bubble burst, and the Great Recession followed.
    — Zachary Christensen, Oc Register, 24 July 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • Air defenses were activated in the Iranian capital, Tehran, and explosions were reported in several Iranian cities, according to state media.
    — Arpita Dasika, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • Deep ocean recordings blend with orchestral timpani, distant explosions, vibrations and the recorded buzzing of bees.
    — Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026
Definition of explosion
Noun
  • Moreover, these outbursts regularly occur whenever Black people are cast in popular feature films and series.
    — Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
  • The family routinely visits the site, a tradition that’s often the cause of emotional outbursts.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 24 July 2026
Definition of outburst
Noun
  • Geologist and science communicator Chris Jackson, for instance, is on hand to clear up any misconceptions the general public might have about the eruption and its aftermath.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 21 July 2026
  • However, this potential sky show isn’t a result of a coronal mass ejection (CME), the intense solar eruptions responsible for some of the most widespread aurora events in recent years.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026
Definition of eruption
Noun
  • The rainfall in southern Virginia and North Carolina is needed to help quench drought conditions there, but too much rain repeating over the same areas over hours or days could quickly trigger dangerous flash flooding.
    — Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
  • Associated Press Two bolts of lightning flash across the sky at Camp Blanding Army Base in Florida.
    — Elizabeth MacBride, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Definition of flash
Noun
  • This video shows firefighters battling fierce flames ripping through vegetation, propelled, in part, by strong gusts of wind.
    — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 27 July 2026
  • Damaging wind gusts are possible from the storms, as well as large hail and an isolated tornado.
    — Daniel Amarante, ABC News, 26 July 2026
Definition of gust

Browse Nearby Words

spas
spasm
spasmodic
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Cite this Entry

“Spasm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spasm. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of spasm for Spanish Speakers

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