as in upheavals
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order)
the Russian Revolution was one of the major convulsions of the 20th century
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Recent Examples of convulsions
The country, meanwhile, was experiencing a series of convulsions.
—
Azadeh Moaveni, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
Brain swelling from encephalitis can lead to convulsions, permanent hearing loss, intellectual disability and death, according to the CDC.
—Kristen Jordan Shamus, Freep.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Symptoms of bird flu in mammals include tremors, convulsions, seizures and muscle weakness.
—Susanne Rust
follow, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
But the more-severe version is life-threatening, according to the FDA, and symptoms can include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026
Now, that job title could be gone by the end of this year, according to the man who created the artificial intelligence (AI) tool that is sending convulsions through the Valley.
—Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026
Some permanent changes among survivors have been noted, including persistent convulsions.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2026
For nearly a millennia and half, even in the centuries when physicians were beginning to supplant priests in treating the ill, epileptic convulsions (unexpected, frightening, enigmatic) remained the territory of the priest.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Formed in England in the mid-1600s, the Religious Society of Friends became known for the tremors and convulsions that would overtake its members during prayer.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 22 Jan. 2026
Azadeh Moaveni, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
Brain swelling from encephalitis can lead to convulsions, permanent hearing loss, intellectual disability and death, according to the CDC.
—Kristen Jordan Shamus, Freep.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Symptoms of bird flu in mammals include tremors, convulsions, seizures and muscle weakness.
—Susanne Rust
follow, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026
But the more-severe version is life-threatening, according to the FDA, and symptoms can include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026
Now, that job title could be gone by the end of this year, according to the man who created the artificial intelligence (AI) tool that is sending convulsions through the Valley.
—Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026
Some permanent changes among survivors have been noted, including persistent convulsions.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2026
For nearly a millennia and half, even in the centuries when physicians were beginning to supplant priests in treating the ill, epileptic convulsions (unexpected, frightening, enigmatic) remained the territory of the priest.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Formed in England in the mid-1600s, the Religious Society of Friends became known for the tremors and convulsions that would overtake its members during prayer.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for convulsions
Noun
-
Right now, marketers are still trying to get a read on how economic conditions may shake out, and there won’t be much clarity in the ad market until budgets are registered—a process that itself will be complicated by the ongoing geopolitical upheavals.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
3 Apr. 2026
-
During the major social upheavals of 2011 and 2019, students adopted a confrontational stance against the political and business elite to demand systemic reforms.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Authoritarianism, rule by force and revolutions with bloodshed are the norms.—
Stephen Mitchell,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The Cost of Waiting What makes this moment structurally different from past technology revolutions is the combination of AI’s extreme capital intensity and its inverted labor disruption.—
Ravi Kumar S,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Convulsions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/convulsions. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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