paroxysms

noun

Definition of paroxysmsnext
plural of paroxysm
1
as in bursts
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling a paroxysm of laughter greeted the pratfall

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in upheavals
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

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for paroxysms
  1. convulsions
  2. explosions
  3. revolutions
  4. eruptions
  5. spasms
  6. gusts
Noun
  • Symptoms of a seizure can include convulsions, twitching of the arms or legs, or even loss of consciousness.
    Julie Scott, MSN, People.com, 2 Oct. 2024
  • Thankfully, today’s convulsions do not offer a simple replay of interwar fascism.
    Justin Casey, Foreign Affairs, 19 Jan. 2023
Definition of convulsions
Noun
  • Reuters video showed explosions close to the Beirut airport just as a Middle East Airlines flight was landing.
    NBC News, NBC News, 4 Oct. 2024
  • More than a week before the pager explosions, Israel launched airstrikes against Syria on September 8, itself not unusual.
    Paul Iddon, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
Definition of explosions
Noun
  • The documentary tracks how ’90s rave folded into San Francisco’s many cultural revolutions, from the Beatniks to the hippies to the punks.
    Katie Bain, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2024
  • The two revolutions, Calhoun believed, were related.
    Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024
Definition of revolutions
Noun
  • Solar flares can lead to coronal mass ejections—or eruptions of solar material—which are known to cause Northern Lights sightings, and a pair of CMEs is expected to affect Earth between Friday and Sunday.
    Arianna Johnson, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
  • Particularly when coupled with popular in-office treatments, these aggressive protocols exacerbated chronically sensitive complexions that were prone to prone to redness, textural irregularities and eruptions.
    Jessica Ourisman, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
Definition of eruptions
Noun
  • Following a tough defeat and then losing ace Chris Sale, who was a late scratch with back spasms, things seemed gloomy for Atlanta.
    David Close, CNN, 1 Oct. 2024
  • Braves starter Chris Sale, the NL Cy Young favorite, is expected to miss the Wild Card Series with back spasms.
    Andrew Keatts, Axios, 30 Sep. 2024
Definition of spasms
Noun
  • South wind 5 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.
    Haadiza Ogwude, The Enquirer, 4 Oct. 2024
  • And perhaps, if the gusts are strong enough, snap trees 50 miles inland.
    Sharif Paget, CNN, 3 Oct. 2024
Definition of gusts
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near paroxysms

paroxysmal

paroxysms

parricide

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Cite this Entry

“Paroxysms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paroxysms. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on paroxysms

Nglish: Translation of paroxysms for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of paroxysms for Arabic Speakers

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