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 But Hwang’s journey to 2028 includes far bigger obstacles than simply learning to maneuver the starting blocks or managing her ataxia — which can cause impaired movement and muscle spasms that can cut into practice sessions at a moment’s notice. — Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026 The whole thing lands closer to a murky inversion of early Return to Forever than the punk spasms of Naked City. — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 23 July 2026 The stone is the fight with a friend, back spasm, or lost client. — Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 She was finally made to pause when a hemifacial spasm landed her on the operating table for brain surgery. — Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 15 July 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
  • Symptoms of a salmonella infection may include watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, headache, nausea, vomiting, and a loss of appetite, according to the CDC.
    — Youri Benadjaoud, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The illness is characterized by diarrhea, stomach cramps and fatigue.
    — Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of cramp
Noun
  • Denver Post via Getty Images On the night of July 31st, 1976, Colorado's monsoon season unleashed a torrential burst of rain from a nearly stationary thunderstorms across the Big Thompson Canyon between Estes Park and Loveland.
    — Dave Aguilera, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • The year the housing bubble burst, 860k American properties were repossessed.
    — HubSpot, HubSpot, 31 July 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • Meanwhile, Iraqi pro-militia outlet Naya late on Monday reported an explosion in Kuwait overnight that could be heard in Basrah Province.
    — Mike Sheen, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The explosion was captured on video, which was shared on social media and verified by NBC News.
    — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of explosion
Noun
  • He was ousted from Dior and his namesake fashion house in 2011 following racist and antisemitic outbursts at a Paris bar.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 31 July 2026
  • Therapy that helped him make friends and control outbursts caused by Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has nearly disappeared, Garcia said.
    — Larry Seward, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of outburst
Noun
  • While fine ash was detected within public areas of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, no solid rocks or magma fragments that were ejected during the eruption were reported in any other populated areas.
    — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 29 July 2026
  • The results may help improve hazard assessments in Sicily, where Etna eruptions threaten adjacent communities.
    — Refractor, Refractor, 27 July 2026
Definition of eruption
Noun
  • Some areas expected to experience flash flooding include Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa, Leawood, Prairie Village, Gardner, Merriam, Mission, Bonner Springs, De Soto, Tonganoxie, Basehor, Edwardsville, Fairway, Mission Hills and Riverside.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
  • No impact flash has ever been recorded on a sunlit part of the moon, which is exactly where this one will land.
    — Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 30 July 2026
Definition of flash
Noun
  • The crash occurred as the helicopter crews were helping to battle two fires that ignited on Saturday morning and spread rapidly amid strong wind gusts, prompting evacuations in the Boeotia and Attica regions, officials said.
    — Dada Jovanovic, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Flames spread through western Attica, the region around Athens, threatening communities and an industrial district outside Megara as violent gusts prevented firefighting aircraft from collecting water from the sea.
    — Elena Becatoros, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 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 5 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of spasm for Spanish Speakers

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