1
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
a paroxysm of laughter greeted the pratfall
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in upheaval
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order)
Darwin's introduction of the theory of evolution created paroxysms in both religion and science that are still being felt today
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paroxysm
Henry, afflicted by a psychic link to the monsters behind the veil of the Stranger Things universe, has to go into writhing, spitting paroxysms at least once every 20 minutes or so.
—
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2025
The system came crashing down in a paroxysm of raw power politics, and the world was set ablaze.
—Stacie E. Goddard, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Sudden fits or attacks, known as paroxysms, of rapid coughs.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025
For Fu, a 24-year-old graduate student in Beijing, this month’s paroxysms don’t change much on the ground.
—Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC News, 12 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for paroxysm
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Apr. 2025
The system came crashing down in a paroxysm of raw power politics, and the world was set ablaze.
—Stacie E. Goddard, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Sudden fits or attacks, known as paroxysms, of rapid coughs.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025
For Fu, a 24-year-old graduate student in Beijing, this month’s paroxysms don’t change much on the ground.
—Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC News, 12 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for paroxysm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paroxysm
Noun
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This frustration has fueled the explosion of AI headshot tools like InstaHeadshots, PhotoPacksAI, HeadshotPro and Aragon AI, services that promise a professional image in minutes starting at under $50.—
Krysta Escobar,
CNBC,
18 Oct. 2025
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This Isn’t Kittle’s Game Everyone sees that George Kittle is back and expects a fantasy football explosion.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Sri Lanka’s garment workers have borne the brunt of years of economic and political upheaval, which pushed inflation levels to impossible highs, devalued the national currency and caused the prices of basic commodities to soar beyond reach.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
20 Oct. 2025
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While those films were burned, what the West never knew was that those were not the only copies of these films as Hesse had stored the vast majority of the originals safely in London, away from the political upheaval.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Los Alamitos’ outburst also included a 74-yard touchdown reception by Boise State committed tight end Beckham Hofland from Colin Creason.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
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Still, an offensive outburst from Ohtani would be a welcome sight.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Duffy did not cite specific intelligence, but his remarks echoed broader administration warnings about potential unrest tied to the protests this Saturday.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
17 Oct. 2025
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Missouri is chasing a rebound to keep its SEC title hopes alive, while Auburn and head coach Hugh Freeze are trying to quiet growing unrest.—
Zach Sweet,
Kansas City Star,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Soon there was a burst of flame, which appeared to spread from the cab and shot out several feet from the driver's side of the truck.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
16 Oct. 2025
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Halfmann's team knew this process takes a burst of energy.—
Jon Hamilton,
NPR,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Cohen reflected on his decades-long career shaping artists’ journeys and ushering in the digital music revolution.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
22 Oct. 2025
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Placing martech in the company-wide strategy The AI revolution offers a rare second chance, according to McKinsey.—
Sheryl Estrada,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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And finally, there’s the eruption of the massive youth protest movement in late 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for refusing to wear a hijab.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Oct. 2025
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Geologists believe that the primary trigger was climatic and ocean changes related to large-scale volcanic eruptions in what is today Siberia, Russia.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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About 1 in 1,000 children who get sick develop encephalitis, or brain inflammation, which can lead to deafness, convulsions and intellectual disabilities.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
14 Oct. 2025
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Symptoms can be severe and include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, sometimes following gastrointestinal symptoms.—
News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Paroxysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paroxysm. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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