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
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Recent Examples of spasms
In 2022, the Canadian singer-songwriter shared she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a neurological disorder that can cause muscle spasms.
—
Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
In 2016, Brooks could not even conceive of the spasms and breaches of etiquette that Trumpism would produce on an almost daily basis.
—Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Initially listed as questionable for the game with back spasms, Norman Powell on Sunday morning was downgraded to out because of an upper respiratory illness.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
He was categorized as questionable with back spasms.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
That designation came a day after Powell was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse due to back spasms.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2026
Low oxygen in the air can cause spasms in the arteries that supply blood to your visual cortex, the part of your brain responsible for your sight.
—Brad Stulberg, Outside, 26 Mar. 2026
The Lakers played without without Deandre Ayton (back spasms).
—ABC News, 25 Mar. 2026
The Pistons said at the time that Cunningham was suffering back spasms.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
In 2016, Brooks could not even conceive of the spasms and breaches of etiquette that Trumpism would produce on an almost daily basis.
—Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
Initially listed as questionable for the game with back spasms, Norman Powell on Sunday morning was downgraded to out because of an upper respiratory illness.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
He was categorized as questionable with back spasms.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
That designation came a day after Powell was listed as questionable for Sunday’s game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse due to back spasms.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2026
Low oxygen in the air can cause spasms in the arteries that supply blood to your visual cortex, the part of your brain responsible for your sight.
—Brad Stulberg, Outside, 26 Mar. 2026
The Lakers played without without Deandre Ayton (back spasms).
—ABC News, 25 Mar. 2026
The Pistons said at the time that Cunningham was suffering back spasms.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spasms
Noun
-
People may develop severe abdominal cramps and diarrhea that is often bloody.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The Eagles credited their stamina in their 41 to 14 victory to drinking pickle juice, which helped prevent dehydration and muscle cramps.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Videos recorded by passengers show sparks and bursts of flame coming from the engine, lighting up the night sky as the aircraft gained altitude.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The Poison frontman, evoking the regional dialect of his native Pittsburgh, bursts with adrenaline on a typical day.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Authorities reinforced security around Jewish sites in the wake of explosions last month outside synagogues in Liege, Belgium, and the Dutch port city of Rotterdam and outside a Jewish school in Amsterdam.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The special effects supervisor on a movie set is responsible for designing and executing practical, in-camera effects such as explosions, pyrotechnics, rigs, and atmospheric elements.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Backlash was immediate given the rapper’s history of antisemitic outbursts.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Right now, the sun is finally moving out of several years of solar maximum—but as this week’s outbursts show, our star is not yet quiet.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) — huge eruptions of solar plasma — could be a threat to Artemis astronauts venturing far beyond our planet, as could cosmic rays, which originate far beyond our solar system.—
Leonard David,
Space.com,
30 Mar. 2026
-
And while many are extinct or dormant, two of them, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, are still capable of destructive and deadly eruptions.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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That was one of nine strikeouts for Bradley, who showed flashes of the electric stuff that has made the Twins so excited about his future.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
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Then, without warning, colors start rippling across its skin — flashes of deep crimson, bursts of mottled brown, rapid shifts in texture — while its eyes dart and its limbs twitch.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Sustained, strong winds with even stronger gusts are happening.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
2 Apr. 2026
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Northwest winds will keep a chill in the air, with gusts reaching 20 to 25 mph downtown and up to 30 mph near the water and atop Twin Peaks.—
Greg Porter,
San Francisco Chronicle,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spasms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spasms. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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