1
as in cramps
a painful sudden tightening of a muscle
he suffers terribly from back spasms
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in bursts
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 spasms
Other symptoms can include loss of motor skills — problems walking, swallowing or muscle spasms.
—
Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
Perhaps, then, the back spasms that befell him on May 23 were a blessing.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 28 May 2026
The most common side effects of TEPEZZA include muscle cramps or spasms, nausea, hair loss, diarrhea, feeling tired, high blood sugar, hearing problems, taste changes, headache, dry skin, ear discomfort, weight loss, nail problems, and changes in menstruation.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 27 May 2026
Houston outfielder Yordan Alvarez, who left Saturday's game with back spasms, wasn't in the lineup but manager Joe Espada said the outfielder wasn't feeling any lingering effects.
—CBS News, 24 May 2026
To some of those near us, her spasms were clearly an affront.
—Tom Levenson, Time, 20 May 2026
Right fielder Jung Hoo Lee left the game early with back spasms.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 19 May 2026
Hart entered the season with a splint in his right ring finger, sustained back spasms in the Abu Dhabi preseason opener against the 76ers then had another lower back injury this season.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
Baseball has a way of happening and Glasnow’s back spasms might just be the first thing to postpone the Dodgers’ decision on who gets bumped out of their overstuffed rotation.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 7 May 2026
Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
Perhaps, then, the back spasms that befell him on May 23 were a blessing.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 28 May 2026
The most common side effects of TEPEZZA include muscle cramps or spasms, nausea, hair loss, diarrhea, feeling tired, high blood sugar, hearing problems, taste changes, headache, dry skin, ear discomfort, weight loss, nail problems, and changes in menstruation.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 27 May 2026
Houston outfielder Yordan Alvarez, who left Saturday's game with back spasms, wasn't in the lineup but manager Joe Espada said the outfielder wasn't feeling any lingering effects.
—CBS News, 24 May 2026
To some of those near us, her spasms were clearly an affront.
—Tom Levenson, Time, 20 May 2026
Right fielder Jung Hoo Lee left the game early with back spasms.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 19 May 2026
Hart entered the season with a splint in his right ring finger, sustained back spasms in the Abu Dhabi preseason opener against the 76ers then had another lower back injury this season.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
Baseball has a way of happening and Glasnow’s back spasms might just be the first thing to postpone the Dodgers’ decision on who gets bumped out of their overstuffed rotation.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spasms
Noun
-
Signs of foodborne illness may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever, according to Tufts University School of Medicine.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
-
Watery diarrhea Stomach cramps Nausea Vomiting Fever Chills What are the bloodstream infection symptoms of Vibrio vulnificus?—
CBS Miami Team,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
The device does not try to impress in short bursts.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
Most radio-producing objects release bursts that last for mere seconds or less, but long-period radio transients, about a dozen of which are known, produce radio waves in bursts lasting from minutes to over an hour.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Perhaps alarmingly, the city’s air defenses appeared to be less active during the final wave of Russian strikes on Tuesday morning, with CNN producers hearing ongoing explosions, but not the sound of counter-systems firing.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
-
Some were awakened by explosions; others pulled back their curtains in the early hours to see plumes of black smoke rising above the city.—
David Hickey,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
This would trigger explosive outbursts on the white dwarf, which would be seen across the galaxy as a nova eruption.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
3 June 2026
-
More Than Headlines Beckham’s talent was undeniable, but it was constantly put on the backburner as the constant talk around him was mostly about on-field outbursts and questionable comments.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
There’s a certain predictability to the plots in a Taylor Sheridan production — a kind of slow, relentless grind from crisis to crisis, punctuated by occasional eruptions of violence.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
-
The Island of Hawaii features three famous volcanoes — Kilauea with its spectacular eruptions, Mauna Kea and its spectacular sunsets, and Mauna Loa, the world’s highest mountain when measured from its underwater base to the summit.—
Joe Yogerst,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
There have been flashes, but the offense needs Pasquantino and Perez to play up to expectations day in and day out.—
Jaylon Thompson
May 30,
Kansas City Star,
30 May 2026
-
As Wiley entered menopause and experienced the hot flashes, hair-thinning, and other physical symptoms that come with it, her straightening treatment—once a moment for pampering—became an exhausting chore.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Thunderstorms and wind gusts of more than 80 mph were reported in Frederick, South Dakota, on Wednesday, leaving buildings damaged, a radio tower and power lines toppled, and trees uprooted.—
Kenton Gewecke,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
-
Winds are forecasted to be west 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph and humidity as low as 10%.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spasms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spasms. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
