1
as in cramps
a painful sudden tightening of a muscle
he suffers terribly from back spasms
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of spasms
When that area sends faulty messages to the body, uncontrollable movements called spasms can affect various muscles.
—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
Triple-A depth is starting to get healthy, too, with right-hander Corbin Martin coming off the IL on Sunday after dealing with back spasms and getting into Tuesday’s game, while right-hander Collin Snider (arm fatigue) is expected to pitch for Iowa in the next day or two.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
Injections of local anesthetics, such as Lidocaine, into the muscles or joints can reduce irritation, muscle spasms and abnormal nerve activities that result in pain.
—Dr. Patricia Richard, Hartford Courant, 14 Apr. 2026
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
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
In 2016, Brooks could not even conceive of the spasms and breaches of etiquette that Trumpism would produce on an almost daily basis.
—Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
The condition caused spasms affecting her ability to walk and use her vocal cords.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
Triple-A depth is starting to get healthy, too, with right-hander Corbin Martin coming off the IL on Sunday after dealing with back spasms and getting into Tuesday’s game, while right-hander Collin Snider (arm fatigue) is expected to pitch for Iowa in the next day or two.
—Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
Injections of local anesthetics, such as Lidocaine, into the muscles or joints can reduce irritation, muscle spasms and abnormal nerve activities that result in pain.
—Dr. Patricia Richard, Hartford Courant, 14 Apr. 2026
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
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
In 2016, Brooks could not even conceive of the spasms and breaches of etiquette that Trumpism would produce on an almost daily basis.
—Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
The condition caused spasms affecting her ability to walk and use her vocal cords.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spasms
Noun
-
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
-
Kay describes the aesthetic of the record in bursts.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Sycamore’s story is told in short bursts that immerse the reader into the present moment, creating a sense of urgency in the exploration of self, art, and family.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Every once in a while, the TV would display the now ubiquitous images of Suspect One and Suspect Two, who had been caught by surveillance cameras, wearing backpacks and strolling near the finish line moments before the explosions.—
Saïd Sayrafiezadeh,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
-
In Bamako, sustained gunfire and explosions were heard near the main airport, forcing the cancellation of incoming and outgoing flights.—
Jewel Bright,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Before the emotional outbursts at the meeting Thursday, Kinnear-Rausch, Little and Williams all expressed their heartbreak over the death of Jaxon and pledged to fix problems that led to the tragedy.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
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But, unexpectedly, its film version released that same year became a midnight movie phenom, marked by its impromptu audience outbursts and eventually becoming a counter-culture landmark, widening the generational divide even further.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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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On the outside, he’ll be pushed by Thomas, a third-round pick last year who showed some flashes but also was banged up and didn’t play as much as the Jets would’ve liked in a developmental year.—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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The Dolphins seemingly expected a run on offensive linemen in the first round, and got ahead of it by picking Proctor, who showed flashes of quick feet, smooth footwork, and a forceful punch at Alabama.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Winds are blowing west at 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.—
Garfield Hylton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
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Residents may experience wind gusts of up to 40 mph.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spasms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spasms. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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