1
as in cramps
a painful sudden tightening of a muscle
he suffers terribly from back spasms
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in bursts
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
a spasm of love that he had never experienced before
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of spasms
The Royals are waiting for his back spasms to subside before getting him back into game action.
—
Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
Over time, this strain causes muscle fatigue, tightening, and spasms, which can develop into a tension headache.
—Colleen Doherty, Verywell Health, 8 Sep. 2025
The Royals batted around, even without star shortstop Bobby Witt, who missed the game with back spasms.
—David Brown, Twin Cities, 7 Sep. 2025
According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms typically include changes to vision, muscle weakness, spasms, numbness, loss of balance and cognitive impairment.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Aug. 2025
Talk to your doctor if bladder issues or leg spasms are keeping you awake.
—Health, 23 Aug. 2025
But his spasms, vexingly, grew more frequent and severe.
—Tao Lin, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
However, swapping out classic sodium chloride for sodium bromide is a solid way to give yourself acne, involuntary muscle spasms, and paranoid psychosis.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 14 Aug. 2025
One customer who was having muscle spasms and neck stiffness said this massager took away the pain within just three days of use.
—Rachel Trujillo, People.com, 21 Dec. 2024
Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
Over time, this strain causes muscle fatigue, tightening, and spasms, which can develop into a tension headache.
—Colleen Doherty, Verywell Health, 8 Sep. 2025
The Royals batted around, even without star shortstop Bobby Witt, who missed the game with back spasms.
—David Brown, Twin Cities, 7 Sep. 2025
According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms typically include changes to vision, muscle weakness, spasms, numbness, loss of balance and cognitive impairment.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Aug. 2025
Talk to your doctor if bladder issues or leg spasms are keeping you awake.
—Health, 23 Aug. 2025
But his spasms, vexingly, grew more frequent and severe.
—Tao Lin, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
However, swapping out classic sodium chloride for sodium bromide is a solid way to give yourself acne, involuntary muscle spasms, and paranoid psychosis.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 14 Aug. 2025
One customer who was having muscle spasms and neck stiffness said this massager took away the pain within just three days of use.
—Rachel Trujillo, People.com, 21 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spasms
Noun
-
The most common symptoms are diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, according to the CDC.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Symptoms of foodborne illnesses include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramps and fever, according to the CDC.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The sound of wheels hitting concrete blends with bursts of laughter and cheers.—
Mona Darwish,
Oc Register,
10 Sep. 2025
-
One emerging approach gaining traction is called microlearning, a strategy that delivers academic content in short bursts rather than lengthy lessons.—
Hannah Nwoko,
Parents,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Video footage from the area showed multiple large explosions in Gaza City on Tuesday as the IDF pressed its offensive.—
Kevin Shalvey,
ABC News,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Aside from heavy tanks and artillery firing salvos leading to big explosions and heavy smoke on the training area, infantry units also charged forward on motorcycles, quad bikes or on foot under the cover of drones.—
Frederik Pleitgen,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Howard, a queen bee with a racy reputation, became a scene-stealer with her emotional outbursts and volatile friendship with Maddy (Alexa Demie).—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
-
With his natural charisma and naked emotion, Thug and Big Bank go all the way back to rapper’s childhood traumas (his apartment complex burning down, his older brother dying in front of him) to try to get to the bottom of his emotional outbursts.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
As part of the new study, Knutsen and her team programmed Perseverance's cameras to watch the sky after solar eruptions known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs) blasted in the direction of Mars.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Kamchatka sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic activity frequently triggers earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.—
Amanda Castro
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The result is less a rite of passage than a series of disconnected tableaux, dazzling in flashes but never adding up to anything deeper.—
David Hochman,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
The rookie trio rewarded the coordinator with some individual flashes.—
DIAMOND VENCES,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Residents may experience wind gusts of up to 40 mph.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Residents can expect wind gusts of up to 40 mph.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spasms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spasms. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share