convulse

[kuhn-vuhls]

verb (used with object)

convulsed, convulsing 

1. to shake violently; agitate.

2. to cause to shake violently with laughter, anger, pain, etc.

3. to cause to suffer violent, spasmodic contractions of the muscles.

convulse

/ kənˈvʌls /

verb

1. (tr) to shake or agitate violently

2. (tr) to cause (muscles) to undergo violent spasms or contractions

3. informal,  to shake or be overcome (with violent emotion, esp laughter)

4. (tr) to disrupt the normal running of (a country, etc)

   student riots have convulsed India

Other Word Forms

• convulsedly adverb
• convulsible adjective
• convulsibility noun
• unconvulsed adjective
• convulsively adverb
• convulsiveness noun
• convulsive adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of convulse¹

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; con-

Word History and Origins

Origin of convulse¹

C17: from Latin convulsus, from convellere to tear up, from vellere to pluck, pull

Example Sentences

In late September 2008, as the world and Britain especially was convulsed by its biggest ever financial crisis, the Conservative Party published an obscure pamphlet titled "Reconstruction".

Read more on BBC

Last December, a Unitree bot fell over and started convulsing at a demonstration, drawing online mockery.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Britain has been convulsed by occasional protests over the issue, usually following an alleged criminal incident by a migrant.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He had earlier suggested "everlasting peace" had been grasped under his tutelage, in a region long convulsed by violence.

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For months in 2024 — shortly after the onset of the deadliest and most destructive war between Israelis and Palestinians in history — college campuses in the U.S. convulsed in often confrontational protests.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• shake up 
• torment