convulsion
Americannoun
-
convulsions
plural
-
contortion of the body caused by violent, involuntary muscular contractions of the extremities, trunk, and head.
-
violent agitation or disturbance; commotion.
-
an outburst of great, uncontrollable laughter.
noun
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a violent involuntary contraction of a muscle or muscles
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a violent upheaval, disturbance, or agitation, esp a social one
-
informal (usually plural) uncontrollable laughter
I was in convulsions
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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."
Vocabulary lists containing convulsion
Anthem
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"A Retrieved Reformation" by O. Henry
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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:
No one should have to endure such horrible, public pain, experienced simultaneously with a nationwide convulsion.
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026
What they couldn’t know at the time was that a major convulsion was coming for the golf world: LIV’s funding was about to evaporate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 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
In the middle of this convulsion, Ms. de Bonafini’s life was turned upside down.
From New York Times ● Nov. 22, 2022
“There has been a convulsion in the earth,” the priest said.
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
"She was taken to hospital with non-stop fits and convulsions," he told BBC Radio 2's Jeremy Vine Show.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
Symptoms of bird flu in mammals include tremors, convulsions, seizures and muscle weakness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 12, 2026
The back end of Mr. Bird’s book is a romp through the real-estate convulsions of Asia and the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2025
Novo has suffered repeated convulsions amid a dramatic selloff that has sent shares down by more than 60% since the middle of last year.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2025
I would nearly go into convulsions of dismay at my stupidity.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
