spasms

noun

plural of spasm
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

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 Richardson was unable to finish the season due to back spasms as the Colts missed the playoffs yet again. — James Boyd, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026 For some reason, her spasms of agony were never spoken of in the daytime; there was no place for them in the family discourse. — Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026 Tuesday marked Glasnow’s first start since May 6 in Houston, when back spasms cut his outing short after one inning. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 If not properly administered and monitored, an unsafe amount of potassium entering the body can lead to cardiac arrhythmia, kidney dysfunction, muscle weakness or spasms, metabolic disturbances or death, according to Ameri Pharma. — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026 Stiff-person syndrome’s most common symptoms include muscle stiffness and painful spasms that can lead to secondary effects, like unsteady gait, double vision, and slurred speech, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Aug. 2026 In December 2022, Dion announced she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that can cause muscle stiffness and painful spasms. — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026 On Saturday, Nick Bolton essentially got a rest day with three plays and Drue Tranquill did not play because of back spasms. — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 17 Aug. 2026 Adames diagnosed with back strain Shortstop Willy Adames, who left Wednesday’s game early due to back spasms, underwent an MRI on Thursday that revealed a low back strain. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spasms
  1. cramps
  2. bursts
  3. explosions
  4. outbursts
  5. eruptions
  6. flashes
  7. gusts
Noun
  • Common symptoms include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (which may be bloody) and vomiting.
    — Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Ginger is also believed to work just as well as ibuprofen and other pain medications to relieve menstrual cramps.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of cramps
Noun
  • And the 27-inch display bursts with gorgeous contrast and colors.
    — George Yang, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Inside, you’re greeted with fireworks; more than 30,000 crystals hang from a chandelier, forming a dozen bursts of light.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of bursts
Noun
  • The resulting detonations will result in explosions, flashes of light and clouds of smoke visible from a distance, the Navy said.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2026
  • One resident, Iryna Barisenkova, recalled hearing loud explosions while traveling on public transport.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of explosions
Noun
  • There have also been repeated public outbursts from Diomansy Kamara, Sarr’s agent, about Palace’s handling of his client while Sarr himself removed all references to Palace on his social media platforms.
    — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Such criticism formed a fault line that ran from the cultural commentary of the ’20s to the outbursts of Beats, folkies, and academics in the ’50s.
    — Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of outbursts
Noun
  • Potential hazards include volcanic bombs, heavy ashfall and lava flows if continuous eruptions resume.
    — Niniek Karmini, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • After the northern lights put on a dazzling show over North Dakota, Canada and Iceland earlier this week, the solar eruptions expected to stir up Wednesday night’s sky have been delayed or possibly missed Earth altogether.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of eruptions
Noun
  • But to overhaul Antonelli, Ferrari will need a return to the strong team performance and precise execution shown only in flashes of this season.
    — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The main colors here are black and white, with flashes of red and blue.
    — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of flashes
Noun
  • In addition to the potential hurricane-force wind gusts, tornadoes are possible near the two islands, and heavy rains are expected throughout the main islands, the hurricane center's specialists warned.
    — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Destructive wind gusts have topped 90 mph and Lowell has sparked Hawaii's first-ever tornado watch.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of gusts

Browse Nearby Words

spasmodic
spasms
spastic
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Cite this Entry

“Spasms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spasms. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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