spasm

noun

ˈspa-zəm How to pronounce spasm (audio)
Definition of spasmnext
1
as in cramp
a painful sudden tightening of a muscle he suffers terribly from back spasms

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in burst
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 spasm While three of those four are not pitching (Ohtani has a left knee issue, Snell is coming off elbow surgery and Glasnow missed months with back spasms), all three are expected to return before October. — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026 Then June happened, and the Noles were able to check off the four-star box, but many people felt like the flurry of commitments was similar to a last spasm from a dead body. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026 The whole thing lands closer to a murky inversion of early Return to Forever than the punk spasms of Naked City. — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 23 July 2026 The stone is the fight with a friend, back spasm, or lost client. — Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for spasm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spasm
  1. cramp
  2. burst
  3. explosion
  4. outburst
  5. eruption
  6. flash
  7. gust
Noun
  • Symptoms commonly include watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, bloating, gas, nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss.
    — Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Salmonella infection could result in diarrhea, nausea, headache and stomach cramps.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of cramp
Noun
  • Protecting pilot vision A nuclear weapon produces an intense burst of thermal and visible light within fractions of a second after detonation.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 2026
  • With juicy bursts of fresh fruit, the result is deliciously smooth, custardy, and bright.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • If Yellowstone erupts again, the most probable outcome is not a continent-spanning explosion.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Unlike other successful launches, the incident appears to have been downplayed on China’s state media with scant mention of the explosion.
    — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of explosion
Noun
  • The McKinney City Council voted late Wednesday night to approve a site plan for a new mosque after a marathon meeting marked by outbursts and hours of public comment.
    — Trevor Sochocki, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • His wife, Liz (Evan Rachel Wood), is a sneak preview of Debbie’s future, self-medicating with drugs, alcohol, and wrathful outbursts.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of outburst
Noun
  • The department's decision was met with an eruption of applause.
    — Lyanne Wang, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Scientists would also expect an impending volcanic eruption to produce warning signs.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of eruption
Noun
  • Lime juice, fish sauce, alliums, and a flash of heat from bird’s-eye chile are slightly mellowed with a big dollop of mayo.
    — Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Aug. 2026
  • One example of that efficiency in action is the software module flash station, a first for a Ford assembly plant, which ensures vehicles have the latest software prior to module installation.
    — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of flash
Noun
  • Wind gusts of 30 to 45 mph will be common near showers, with isolated gusts up to 55 mph possible.
    — Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Two weeks earlier, over the first weekend of July, a slow-moving system broke a brutal heat wave with wind gusts near 80 mph and knocked out power to nearly 300,000 New Jersey customers.
    — Ravi S. Bhalla, New York Daily News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of gust

Browse Nearby Words

spas
spasm
spasmodic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spasm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spasm. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of spasm for Spanish Speakers

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