paroxysmal
Americanadjective
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sudden and uncontrolled.
In 2 years of continuous observations, volcanic activity included minor explosions, persistent degassing, paroxysmal eruptions, and lava flows.
This region of the world is going through paroxysmal changes, and ongoing humanitarian aid is a critical need.
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Medicine/Medical. occurring periodically, especially with brief episodes; recurrent.
Paroxysmal cough was observed in 89% of the infants studied.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of paroxysmal
First recorded in 1570–80; paroxysm ( def. ) + -al 1 ( def. )
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.
Their movement then sends false signals to the brain that the head is spinning, causing the sudden dizziness and spinning sensation, sometimes accompanied by nausea, known as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 15, 2026
Sliding this new series into the paroxysmal dialogue over immigration and diversity would seem easy enough, except for the fact that Vijal Patel didn’t create the show as a clapback to current events.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2024
Even the risk of a specific subset of tachycardias, paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardiaswas elevated up to 6 months after the infection and was five times greater in the first month.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 13, 2023
A nurse practitioner thought she might have benign paroxysmal positional vertigo caused by an inner ear imbalance or labyrinthitis, an infection of the inner ear.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 10, 2021
If this theory is true, it helps us in explaining why the large, mediate, and smaller bronchi are closed during the expiratory stage of the paroxysmal cough of pertussis.
From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various
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