spasm

noun

ˈspa-zəm 

1

: an involuntary and abnormal muscular contraction

2

: a sudden violent and temporary effort, emotion, or sensation

a spasm of creativity

spasms of pain

spasm intransitive verb

Synonyms

• charley horse
• cramp
• crick
• kink

Examples of spasm in a Sentence

a disease that causes muscle spasms

He was racked with coughing spasms.

She was suffering spasms of guilt.

Recent Examples on the Web

Backup offensive tackle Ryan Van Demark made a spot start against the Chiefs in Week 11 and also got some time at right tackle against the Lions after Brown suffered some neck spasms. —Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024

Freshman guard Trent Perry was limited to two minutes the entire game after being limited in practice the last few days because of back spasms. —Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2024

Clonazepam is prescribed to treat seizure disorders, such as epilepsy, panic disorder—a form of anxiety where an individual suffers frequently from panic attacks—and other complaints, such as restless leg syndrome or muscle spasms. —Matt Robison, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024

Some people even report that Delta-8 can relieve chronic pain, inflammation, and muscle spasms. —Amplified Content Studio, The Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English spasme, from Anglo-French espasme, from Latin spasmus, from Greek spasmos, from span to draw, pull

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

spasm

noun

ˈspaz-əm 

1

: a sudden uncontrolled contracting of muscles

back spasms

2

: a sudden violent and temporary effort, emotion, or outburst

a spasm of creativity

spasm verb

Medical Definition

spasm

noun

ˈspaz-əm 

1

: an involuntary and abnormal contraction of muscle or muscle fibers or of a hollow organ (as an artery, the colon, or the esophagus) that consists largely of involuntary muscle fibers

2

: the state or condition of a muscle or organ affected with spasms

the renal artery went into spasm