spasm

noun
UK: /ˈspæzəm/
US: /ˈspæzəm/

  1. A sudden, uncontrolled tightening of a muscle.

    1. I felt a spasm in my leg after the run.
    2. The patient experienced muscle spasms following the surgery, which were quite painful.

  2. A sudden and brief burst of energy, activity, or emotion.

    1. He felt a spasm of anger at the rude comment.
    2. The city experienced a spasm of violence last night after the protest ended abruptly.

Synonyms

contraction surge convulsion outbreak cramp burst twitch
spasm intransitive-verb

  1. To experience a sudden, uncontrolled tightening of a muscle.

    1. My hand began to spasm after typing all day.
    2. His face spasmed uncontrollably when he received the unexpected, shocking news.
spasm transitive-verb

  1. To cause to contract involuntarily.

    1. The electric shock made his muscles spasm.
    2. Stress can spasm your stomach muscles, leading to discomfort and indigestion.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "spasm" in English means: A sudden, uncontrolled tightening of a muscle., A sudden and brief burst of energy, activity, or emotion..

The phonetic transcription of "spasm" is /ˈspæzəm/ in British English and /ˈspæzəm/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "spasm": contraction, surge, convulsion, outbreak, cramp, burst, twitch.

Example usage of "spasm": "I felt a spasm in my leg after the run.". More examples on the page.