convulsively

American  

[kuhn-vuhls-iv-lee] / kənˈvʌls ɪv li /

adverb

1. in a convulsive way.

---

Explanation

To do something convulsively is to do it in an irregular, jerky way. If you can't help laughing convulsively during a friend's awkward speech, you'll be shaking with laughter. Movements that are connected to actual convulsions — the involuntary, abnormal movement of the body's muscles — happen convulsively. Other things occur convulsively too, like hiccups and laughter and crying: "She sobbed convulsively when her dog ran away." The adverb convulsively comes from the verb convulse, which is rooted in the Latin convulsus, "pulled away" or "wrenched."

Example Sentences

The production, executed to perfection, starred Ron Bottitta and Patrick Keleher as the radicalized father and his conscience-stricken son in a tense dramatic standoff that told a story about America we’re still convulsively living through.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2024

I was vomiting so convulsively they removed them to get the spasms to stop.

From Washington Post • May 27, 2022

Not convulsively, but enough that I didn’t get kicked out of the joint.

From Golf Digest • Apr. 28, 2020

He had weak lungs, and his friend was worried about him, because he coughed convulsively whenever there was any smoke or tear gas in the air.

From The New Yorker • Dec. 9, 2019

It interested me, even at that moment, to see, that, whilst the face of white set passion worked convulsively over the bowed head, the hands tenderly and lovingly stroked the ruffled hair.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker