1
as in cramp
a painful sudden tightening of a muscle
he suffers terribly from back spasms
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in burst
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
a spasm of love that he had never experienced before
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spasm
The team listed forward Sam Hauser (lower back spasms) as available after initially deeming him questionable before the Knicks matchup.
—
Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
People often feel tired first, before experiencing intense kidney pain, severe sweating and vomiting, full body cramps and spasms and a fierce sense of doom.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
Gujarat captain Shubman Gill was missing owing to a muscle spasm and Sudharsan led the way with 50 off 33 in an opening stand of 78 with Kumar Kushagra.
—ABC News, 4 Apr. 2026
Powell previously had been listed as questionable due to back spasms, prior to being listed as out due to illness.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spasm
Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2026
People often feel tired first, before experiencing intense kidney pain, severe sweating and vomiting, full body cramps and spasms and a fierce sense of doom.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
Gujarat captain Shubman Gill was missing owing to a muscle spasm and Sudharsan led the way with 50 off 33 in an opening stand of 78 with Kumar Kushagra.
—ABC News, 4 Apr. 2026
Powell previously had been listed as questionable due to back spasms, prior to being listed as out due to illness.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spasm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spasm
Noun
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Each tablet contains 200 milligrams of ibuprofen and is one of the best over-the-counter pain relievers for those suffering from conditions such as muscular aches, minor arthritis pain, toothache, backache, menstrual cramps or minor aches.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
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Reddy told Fox News Digital that salmonella bacteria can only be killed by cooking a raw egg — and the disease's symptoms include diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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As for Mitchell, James Tatum said, the burst of violence caught the family somewhat by surprise.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Apr. 2026
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His quick steps can cause tackles to lose their balance, and his burst to turn pressures into sacks is tremendous.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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After a faulty cooling system was left to disrepair, rising temperatures resulted in an explosion with the equivalent force of 70-100 tons of TNT.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
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To locals, Soviet leaders seemed to be downplaying the severity of the explosion.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Flagg and Knueppel traded places as betting favorites during the season, but Flagg’s 96-point outburst over two games on the second-to-last weekend might have tipped the scales.—
Schuyler Dixon,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
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The Bears took control with a 5-0 outburst in the third quarter for a 12-7 advantage over the defending champions.—
Glae Thien,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The eruptions – yours, the partner’s – suggest that there’s a lot that’s been simmering underneath your interactions.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
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The eruptions — yours, the partner’s — suggest that there’s a lot that’s been simmering underneath your interactions.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Pink flashes often come first, followed by green moments later.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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Brooks, who’s still only 22, briefly showed flashes of explosiveness as a rookie before retearing his ACL at Philadelphia in December 2024.—
Joseph Person,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Power lines were snapped and pulled down in Missouri, wind gusts in Wisconsin exceeded 70 mph, and heavy rain and intense lightning knocked down trees in Tennessee.—
Kathryn Prociv,
NBC news,
28 Apr. 2026
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Residents can expect wind gusts of up to 50 mph.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spasm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spasm. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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