1
as in cramps
a painful sudden tightening of a muscle
he suffers terribly from back spasms
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in bursts
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
a spasm of love that he had never experienced before
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of spasms
People may experience a sunburn, a heat rash or heat cramps, with signs including muscle pain and spasms.
—
Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
Cunningham got hurt in Tuesday's win over Washington, leaving midway through the opening quarter with what the team called back spasms.
—CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
The Pistons said at the time that Cunningham was suffering back spasms.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Don’t forget about … Beau Brieske Back spasms interrupted Brieske’s spring, but the Tigers haven’t ruled out his making the roster.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
And all of this can mess with the crosstalk between the nerves in your gut and your brain, triggering gut spasms.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 13 Mar. 2026
Cam Johnson went to the locker room with back spasms early in the third quarter but was able to return early in the fourth.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2026
Orlando will also learn more about Anthony Black (low back strain), Jonathan Isaac (left knee strain) and rookie Jase Richardson (low back spasms) upon its return home.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
That won’t be the case for Rory McIlroy, who felt muscle spasms in his back and decided to withdraw about 30 minutes before his tee time.
—Dallas Morning News, 7 Mar. 2026
Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
Cunningham got hurt in Tuesday's win over Washington, leaving midway through the opening quarter with what the team called back spasms.
—CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
The Pistons said at the time that Cunningham was suffering back spasms.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Don’t forget about … Beau Brieske Back spasms interrupted Brieske’s spring, but the Tigers haven’t ruled out his making the roster.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
And all of this can mess with the crosstalk between the nerves in your gut and your brain, triggering gut spasms.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 13 Mar. 2026
Cam Johnson went to the locker room with back spasms early in the third quarter but was able to return early in the fourth.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 10 Mar. 2026
Orlando will also learn more about Anthony Black (low back strain), Jonathan Isaac (left knee strain) and rookie Jase Richardson (low back spasms) upon its return home.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
That won’t be the case for Rory McIlroy, who felt muscle spasms in his back and decided to withdraw about 30 minutes before his tee time.
—Dallas Morning News, 7 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spasms
Noun
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Avoid very sugary drinks and alcohol, which can cause your body to lose more fluid, and be wary of extra-cold drinks that may cause stomach cramps.—
Emily Shapiro,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Peterson had been hospitalized for full-body cramps months prior.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Yet Grace is the one who wakes up in space, and this story emerges nonlinearly, narrative flashbacks like bursts of memory ripping through his brain, discombobulated after a long intergalactic coma.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
19 Mar. 2026
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Most are performed for five-second bursts, in sets of 15.—
Gilad Edelman,
The Atlantic,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Heavy explosions shook Dubai early Friday as air defenses intercepted incoming fire over the city, where people were observing Eid al-Fitr, the end of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, and mosques made the day's first call to prayers.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Heavy explosions shook Dubai as air defenses intercepted incoming fire over the city, where many were observing Eid al-Fitr, the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Similar scoring outbursts from the Case Western Reserve recruit were not forthcoming, of course.—
Steve Reaven,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Mar. 2026
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This undersells the singular malignance of her outbursts, which drove away Black and white allies alike.—
Moira Donegan,
New Yorker,
13 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
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There are enough flashes of potential to suggest it didn’t have to be this way.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Mar. 2026
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The device detects quick flashes in the atmosphere and is usually used to continuously map lightning strikes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Red flag warnings are in place for parts of Wyoming, South Dakota and Nebraska, where wind gusts could reach 30 to 45 mph.—
Kenton Gewecke,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
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Southwest wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.—
Katie Wiseman,
IndyStar,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spasms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spasms. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
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