spasmodic
Americanadjective
-
pertaining to or of the nature of a spasm; characterized by spasms.
-
resembling a spasm or spasms; sudden but brief; sporadic.
spasmodic efforts at reform.
- Synonyms:
- fleeting, periodic, intermittent, occasional
-
given to or characterized by bursts of excitement.
adjective
-
taking place in sudden brief spells
-
of or characterized by spasms
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of spasmodic
First recorded in 1675–85; from Medieval Latin spasmodicus, from Greek spasmṓd(ēs) “spasmodic” (derivative of spasmós spasm; see -ode 1) + Latin -icus -ic
Explanation
Something that is spasmodic is experiencing a fit, a loss of muscular control. If you are spazzing out, you are spasmodic. A sudden fit or involuntary contraction of the muscles is called a spasm; thus spasmodic means to behave in such a way. Spasmodic is also commonly used to refer to a violent emotional outburst — for example, your parents might be spasmodic when they discover you're really majoring in partying, not medicine, at college.
Vocabulary lists containing spasmodic
Achievement First 8th Grade IA 1 Words
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"The Sniper" by Liam O’Flaherty
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"To Build a Fire" by Jack London
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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.
You’ve probably actually heard of spasmodic dysphonia before this, even if you didn’t quite realize it.
From Slate ● Apr. 18, 2026
Laryngeal dystonia, known previously as spasmodic dysphonia, is a rare condition that affects over 50,000 people in the US and Canada.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 20, 2024
Laughter is a sudden, spasmodic expulsion air, but, at the same time, it is adjacent to other, more concerning practices of expulsion and denigration.
From Salon ● Nov. 18, 2024
He also has a noticeably strained, raspy voice caused by spasmodic dysphonia, a disorder that causes involuntary spasms in the muscles of the voice box.
From BBC ● May 8, 2024
I wave as lightly as I can, so people think maybe I have a spasmodic twitch.
From "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini
Definitions 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.
