A spasm is a sudden tightening of your muscles, which you cannot control.
A muscular spasm in the coronary artery can cause a heart attack.
A lack of magnesium causes muscles to go into spasm.
Synonyms: convulsion, contraction, paroxysm, twitch More Synonyms of spasm
2. countable noun
A spasm is a sudden strong pain or unpleasant emotion which lasts for a short period of time.
[written]
A spasm of pain brought his thoughts back to the present. [+ of]
Kemp felt a spasm of fear.
Synonyms: burst, fit, outburst, seizure More Synonyms of spasm
spasm in British English
(ˈspæzəm)
noun
1.
an involuntary muscular contraction, esp one resulting in cramp or convulsion
2.
a sudden burst of activity, emotion, etc
Word origin
C14: from Latin spasmus, from Greek spasmos a cramp, from span to tear
spasm in American English
(ˈspæzəm)
noun
1.
a sudden, convulsive, involuntary muscular contraction: a tonic spasm is persistent and sustained, and a clonic spasm is one of a series of relatively brief contractions alternating with relaxations
2.
any sudden, violent, temporary activity, feeling, etc.
verb intransitive
3.
to undergo a spasm
Word origin
ME spasme < MFr < L spasmus < Gr spasmos < span, to draw, pull, wrench: see span1
Examples of 'spasm' in a sentence
spasm
These release natural oils that help quell stomach spasms and help control flatulence.
The Sun (2013)
His face was gripped by an involuntary spasm of pain and loathing.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Sometimes a spasm in an artery may close it down.
Schneider, Hermann & Schneider, Leo The Harper Dictionary of Science in Everyday Language (1988)
It is usually caused by muscle spasm.
Hambly, Dr Kenneth Banish Anxiety - how to stop worrying and take charge of your life (1991)
He also suffered muscle spasms and a degree of pain that made him arch his back when touched.
The Sun (2011)
He also suffers from throat spasms.
The Sun (2015)
He collapsed with a back spasm.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
It was a sickening involuntary spasm, unstoppable.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Legs and fingers in painful spasm, wrapped to the bed.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Maggie squeezed her knees tighter, trying to control the spasms that shook her.
Tracy Chevalier Burning Bright (2007)
This causes muscle spasm, pain and can lead to problems.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Botox works by blocking contact between nerve and muscle, weakening involuntary spasms.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
These include muscle spasms, writhing movements and rolling eyes.
The Sun (2015)
Try stretching before going to bed at night, especially the muscles that go into spasm causing cramp.
Lamplugh, Diana & Sterwin, Diana & Nottidge, Pamela Survive the Nine to Five - a woman's guide to working well (1989)
The off spinner has also experienced pain in the lower back and suffered a spasm last Friday morning.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
In some cases the heart attack is caused by a temporary spasm of a coronary artery so that it almost closes off for a time.
Youngson, Dr. Robert The Antioxidant Health Plan (1994)
In an earlier chapter, you learned how excesses of tone called spasm in the coronary arteries could cause angina.
Pantano, James A. (MD) Living with Angina (1991)
My heart spasms with love.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
I felt a spasm of fear.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
I went to the doctor's and was given painkillers for back spasms.
The Sun (2011)
QI've been suffering from painful spasms in my wrist and arm.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
In other languages
spasm
British English: spasm /ˈspæzəm/ NOUN
A spasm is a sudden tightening of your muscles, which you cannot control.
A lack of magnesium causes muscles to go into spasm.
American English: spasm
Arabic: تَشَنُّج
Brazilian Portuguese: espasmo
Chinese: 痉挛
Croatian: grč
Czech: křeč
Danish: spasme
Dutch: kramp
European Spanish: espasmo
Finnish: kouristus
French: spasme
German: Krampf
Greek: σπασμός
Italian: spasmo
Japanese: 痙攣
Korean: 경련
Norwegian: krampe
Polish: skurcz
European Portuguese: espasmo
Romanian: spasm
Russian: спазм
Latin American Spanish: espasmo
Swedish: kramp
Thai: การชักกระตุกของกล้ามเนื้อ
Turkish: kramp
Ukrainian: спазм
Vietnamese: sự co thắt
Chinese translation of 'spasm'
spasm
(ˈspæzəm)
n
(c/u) (Med) 抽搐 (chōuchù)
(c)[of anger etc]一阵(陣) (yī zhèn)
1 (noun)
Definition
a sudden tightening of the muscles, over which one has no control
A lack of magnesium causes muscles to go into spasm.
Synonyms
convulsion
He fell to the floor in the grip of an epileptic convulsion.
contraction
paroxysm
She was overcome by a paroxysm of grief.
twitch
He developed a nervous twitch.
throe (rare)
2 (noun)
Definition
a sudden burst of activity or feeling
He felt a spasm of fear.
Synonyms
burst
short bursts of activity
fit
Once a fit has started there's nothing you can do to stop it.
outburst
an outburst of anger
seizure
I was prescribed drugs to control seizures.
frenzy
The country was gripped by a frenzy of nationalism.
eruption
the volcanic eruption of Tambora in 1815
access
Additional synonyms
in the sense of access
Synonyms
attack,
fit,
outburst,
onset,
paroxysm
in the sense of eruption
the volcanic eruption of Tambora in 1815
Synonyms
explosion,
discharge,
outburst,
venting,
ejection
in the sense of fit
Definition
a sudden attack or convulsion, such as an epileptic seizure
Once a fit has started there's nothing you can do to stop it.
Synonyms
seizure,
attack,
bout,
spasm,
convulsion,
paroxysm
Nearby words of
spasm
sparrow
sparse
Spartan
spasm
spasmodic
spat
spate
Synonyms of 'spasm'
spasm
Explore 'spasm' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of frenzy
Definition
excited or agitated activity
The country was gripped by a frenzy of nationalism.
Synonyms
fit,
burst,
bout,
outburst,
spasm,
convulsion,
paroxysm
in the sense of outburst
Definition
a sudden period of violent activity
an outburst of anger
Synonyms
fit,
storm,
attack,
gush,
flare-up,
eruption,
spasm,
outpouring,
paroxysm,
access
in the sense of paroxysm
Definition
a fit or convulsion
She was overcome by a paroxysm of grief.
Synonyms
outburst,
attack,
fit,
seizure,
flare-up (informal),
eruption,
spasm,
convulsion
in the sense of seizure
Definition
a sudden violent attack of an illness, such as an epileptic convulsion
I was prescribed drugs to control seizures.
Synonyms
attack,
fit,
spasm,
convulsion,
paroxysm
in the sense of twitch
Definition
a sharp jerking movement, esp. one caused by a nervous condition