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

But just as their lives seemed to fall into place, on Dec. 23, 2023, Brennan ended up in the emergency room after suffering multiple back spasms. —Jordan Greene, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025

Montgomery is 1-for-9 with one home run and two RBIs in four Cactus League games, missing time with back spasms. —Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2025

Between the original lower-body injury, the knee tear, back spasms and this latest lower-body injury, Demko has only managed to finish 18 of his past 21 starts dating back to March of last year. —Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025

The slightest movement can send a victim's heart muscle into wild spasms of ventricular fibrillation. —Outside Online, 19 Feb. 2025

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

Rhymes for spasm

• bronchospasm
• cytoplasm
• ectoplasm
• neoplasm
• protoplasm
• vasospasm
• chasm
• plasm
• chiasm
• germplasm
• phantasm
• sarcasm

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