convulse
Americanverb (used with object)
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convulses,
present (3rd person singular)
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convulsed,
past participle, past
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convulsing
present participle
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to shake violently; agitate.
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to cause to shake violently with laughter, anger, pain, etc.
-
to cause to suffer violent, spasmodic contractions of the muscles.
verb
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(tr) to shake or agitate violently
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(tr) to cause (muscles) to undergo violent spasms or contractions
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informal to shake or be overcome (with violent emotion, esp laughter)
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(tr) to disrupt the normal running of (a country, etc)
student riots have convulsed India
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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convulsibilitynoun
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convulsivenessnoun
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convulsibleadjective
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convulsiveadjective
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unconvulsedadjective
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convulsedlyadverb
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convulsivelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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convulsesimple
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convulsessimple
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have convulsedperfect
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has convulsedperfect
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am convulsingprogressive
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are convulsingprogressive
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is convulsingprogressive
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have been convulsingperfect progressive
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has been convulsingperfect progressive
Past
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convulsedsimple
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had convulsedperfect
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was convulsingprogressive
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were convulsingprogressive
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had been convulsingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of convulse
First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin convulsus, past participle of convellere “to shatter, tear loose,” equivalent to con- intensive prefix + vul- (variant stem of vellere “to pull, tear”) + -sus, variant of -tus past participle suffix; see con-
Explanation
To convulse is to have spasms. Get help immediately if you see someone convulse. This medical condition can be brought on by something simple (like a rise in body temperature) or something more complicated, such as epilepsy. In addition to being a symptom of a medical condition, to convulse is often applied to people shaking with laughter. So if you go to a club and see a hilarious comedian, you may convulse with laughter so hard that you might cry, or not be able to catch your breath, and your sides hurt.
Vocabulary lists containing convulse
The Lingo of Body Language
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Hatchet
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"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, Part Four
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Oil markets could convulse if Tehran disrupted Gulf shipping.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 22, 2026
Then Hipolito’s body began to convulse — a possible seizure.
From Salon ● Jan. 14, 2026
Frank Santangelo alleges that Adame fled their home as soon as she saw his wife beginning to convulse.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2025
The development is the latest in the controversy surrounding the governor, Riad Salameh, who is being investigated for corruption as an economic meltdown and financial collapse convulse the tiny Mediterranean nation.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 9, 2022
A random shiver goes through my body, making me convulse for a second; then it’s gone.
From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell
The enigmatic trumpets sounded at the film’s beginning re-enter, their meaning now terribly clear; the orchestra convulses and collapses, and Alex marches upstairs, shown in an aerial shot punctuated with doleful timpani.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
For the next five minutes, she convulses, flings her arms violently, pounds at her legs, and runs in circles, until, with the last note of Stravinsky’s score, she falls, like a stone.
From New York Times ● Nov. 25, 2023
A shudder convulses the picture when Mollie, who’s diabetic, falls gravely and suspiciously ill.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2023
Under the direction of Kenny Leon — a longtime Broadway hand here masterminding the best production of his career — the fierce rivalry and protectiveness binding this Lincoln and Booth convulses in a shattering denouement.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 20, 2022
He convulses then, jerks and judders, jolts and twists and writhes, so much that the whole earth shakes.
From "Norse Mythology" by Neil Gaiman
Both groups awaited a council vote on a question that has convulsed this seaside city.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
The markets convulsed upon reading the Bank of England's decision to put rates on hold.
From BBC ● Mar. 19, 2026
In 2001, I was a college freshman at New York University, and watched as the twin towers fell and the country convulsed in fear and rage.
From Slate ● Mar. 11, 2026
The cases stem from the aftermath of huge, sometimes violent pro-democracy protests that convulsed Hong Kong from 2019.
From Barron's ● Feb. 23, 2026
His voice rasped, and his face convulsed, a grunt of pain.
From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell
“I’m not feeling so well,” he said, before sliding down and convulsing.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
Boutros said that when she heard the news of his death "I don't know what happened to me. I collapsed on the ground and was convulsing".
From Barron's ● Mar. 17, 2026
The man’s eyes rolled back in his head and he started convulsing.
From Salon ● Jan. 14, 2026
Last December, a Unitree bot fell over and started convulsing at a demonstration, drawing online mockery.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 20, 2025
But she only shrieked louder, her body convulsing in spasms.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
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