1
a
: of, relating to, characterized by, or affected with or as if with spasm
a spastic patient
b
: characterized by hypertonic muscles
spastic cerebral palsy
2
: spasmodic sense 2
a spastic influx of data
: an individual suffering from spastic paralysis
Synonyms
Examples of spastic in a Sentence
Adjective
even after the formal surrender, spastic violence erupted in scattered quarters of the city
Recent Examples on the Web
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 20 Dec. 2024
Still, watch how quietly Stiller transitions Greg Focker from put-upon beta to the spastic, sputtering alpha he’s become world-famous for playing.
—Sean Malin, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2024
Susannah Rosen, now 10 years old, has rare mutations in a gene called KIF1A, which is associated with intellectual disability, spastic limbs, and atrophy of nerve cells in the brain and eye.
—Brittany Trang, STAT, 9 Aug. 2024
They are draped in raggedy blanketing, lurching on in various quasi-Zombie spastic movements.
—Christopher Smith, Orange County Register, 23 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for spastic 
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Adjective
And the resurrection of Carrey as his old plastic, spastic, motormouth self is the key to these movies’ overall effect.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 20 Dec. 2024
Still, watch how quietly Stiller transitions Greg Focker from put-upon beta to the spastic, sputtering alpha he’s become world-famous for playing.
—Sean Malin, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2024
Susannah Rosen, now 10 years old, has rare mutations in a gene called KIF1A, which is associated with intellectual disability, spastic limbs, and atrophy of nerve cells in the brain and eye.
—Brittany Trang, STAT, 9 Aug. 2024
They are draped in raggedy blanketing, lurching on in various quasi-Zombie spastic movements.
—Christopher Smith, Orange County Register, 23 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for spastic
Dictionary Entries Near spastic
Cite this Entry
“Spastic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spastic. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
spastic
1 of 2 adjective
spas·tic
ˈspas-tik 
1
: of, relating to, or characterized by spasm
2
: affected with or marked by spasticity or spastic paralysis
a spastic patient
spastic hemiplegia
spastic
2 of 2 noun
: an individual affected by spastic paralysis
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