convulsion

American  

[kuhn-vuhl-shuhn] / kənˈvʌl ʃən /

noun

• convulsions
  plural

1. contortion of the body caused by violent, involuntary muscular contractions of the extremities, trunk, and head.

2. violent agitation or disturbance; commotion.

3. an outburst of great, uncontrollable laughter.

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convulsion British  

/ kənˈvʌlʃən /

noun

1. a violent involuntary contraction of a muscle or muscles

2. a violent upheaval, disturbance, or agitation, esp a social one

3. informal (usually plural) uncontrollable laughter

   I was in convulsions

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convulsion Cultural  

1. A severe, often violent involuntary contraction of the muscles. Convulsions may be caused by high fevers or poisoning and often accompany such diseases such as epilepsy.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• convulsionary
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• convulsions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of convulsion

First recorded in 1575–85, convulsion is from the Latin word convulsiōn- (stem of convulsiō ). See convulse, -ion

Explanation

If you see someone have a convulsion, it can either be scary or funny, depending on whether it's caused by a medical condition or a really funny joke. A convulsion is a jerking, uncontrolled movement. When a person has a convulsion, it appears as a sudden, violent movement of the body. Convulsions most often happen as a result of a medical condition or illness like epilepsy, but you can also describe a jerky, irregular movement as a convulsion, even if it's caused by hiccups or laughter. A political upheaval or social turmoil can also be called a convulsion, if it's abrupt and violent. The Latin root word is convulsionem, which means "to tear loose."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

convulsion convulsions

Ronaldo suffered a convulsion earlier in the day but was given the green light to start for Mario Zagallo's side.

From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026

The remaining two recordings were triggered by sound or motion, but only one suggested that a muscle convulsion, a sign of seizure, had occurred.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 4, 2024

The country is almost certainly not on the brink of some new transformative convulsion.

From New York Times ● Mar. 24, 2023

A convulsion has shaken America and many other Western democracies over the past few years.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 13, 2022

But eventually it had to subside, and the ocean was a little calmer after the convulsion.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman

In a coffee shop in Greenland's capital Nuuk, Lykke Lynge looked fondly at her four kids as they sipped their hot chocolate, seemingly oblivious to the world's convulsions.

From Barron's ● Jan. 25, 2026

Jonathan said in July that his father had been suffering serious convulsions and his mother was "numb" from anaemia and malnutrition.

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2025

She said one prison guard had said Navalny was experiencing convulsions and was breathing heavily and coughing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2025

The pair's son previously told the BBC he feared they would die in prison, cautioning that Peter had suffered serious convulsions and Barbie was "numb" from anaemia and malnutrition.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2025

As if I could soothe the convulsions out of him.

From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini

Related Words

• contraction
• cramp
• paroxysm
• seizure
• tremor