spasm

American  

[spaz-uhm] / ˈspæz əm /

noun

• spasms
  plural

1. Pathology. a sudden, abnormal, involuntary muscular contraction, consisting of a continued muscular contraction tonic spasm or of a series of alternating muscular contractions and relaxations clonic spasm.

2. any sudden, brief spell of great energy, activity, feeling, etc.

   Synonyms:

   spurt, flash, storm, fit

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verb (used without object)

1. to undergo a spasm or spasms.

   Her eyesight had changed, and tests showed the muscles that allow the eye to focus were spasming.

spasm British  

/ ˈspæzəm /

noun

1. an involuntary muscular contraction, esp one resulting in cramp or convulsion

2. a sudden burst of activity, emotion, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• spasms
  plural

Etymology

Origin of spasm

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English spasme, spasom, from Old French (e)spasme and Latin spasmus, from Greek spasmós “convulsion,” derivative of spân “to draw (a sword), pull out, tear out, suck in, slurp down”

Explanation

A spasm is a sudden constriction of a muscle or blood vessel. This idea can be generalized to anything that occurs suddenly and lasts a short while. Except for a brief spasm of yard work, you had a perfectly lazy Sunday. The Greeks had a word called spasmós, which meant "to cramp or convulse." It also meant "to tear away or violently pull," which, if you've ever suffered a muscle spasm you know is a good definition. The word had a physical meaning up until around 1817, when it came to include the abstract. When you were invited to go hiking in the redwood forest, you could hardly control your spasms of joy. Make sure you stretch before hiking, so you don't get muscle spasms.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

spasm spasms

Dr Amanda Cole was 15 and sitting in a religious studies class when she experienced a peculiar spasm at the back of throat.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

While my vocal cords spasm apart, his spasm together; while my voice gets soft and whispery, his voice is tight and gravelly.

From Slate ● Apr. 18, 2026

And amid a spasm of bricks-and-mortar bankruptcies driven in part by e-commerce, retail employment fell by a quarter-million between 2017 and late 2019.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026

India skipper Shubman Gill went out retired hurt for four with a neck spasm and did not return to bat in the innings that ended in the second session.

From Barron's ● Nov. 15, 2025

I took a deep breath to calm myself, ignoring the spasm of pain it triggered.

From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer

Symptoms can vary from person to person, but can include limb weakness, paralysis, seizures, walking difficulties, spasms, sensory issues and cognitive problems.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026

Twice he started playing catch only to be shut down when back spasms returned.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026

The Canadian rock duo make up Angine de Poitrine, which translates from French to angina pectoris — a condition of chest pressure caused by spasms of the heart.

From Salon ● Jun. 5, 2026

Glasnow hit the IL Friday because of back spasms, so the question of whom the Dodgers drop from the rotation to make room for Blake Snell is moot for now.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2026

When he ran, he even loved the pain, the hurt of the running, the burning in his lungs and the spasms that sometimes gripped his calves.

From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier

Related Words

• contraction
• convulsion
• eruption
• outburst
• pain
• paroxysm
• seizure