paroxysm

noun

ˈper-ək-ˌsi-zəm How to pronounce paroxysm (audio)
Definition of paroxysmnext
1
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling a paroxysm of laughter greeted the pratfall

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in upheaval
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order) Darwin's introduction of the theory of evolution created paroxysms in both religion and science that are still being felt today

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of paroxysm Also, stars in this frenzied state aren’t terribly stable; the fusion rate can be tempestuous, and the star undergoes incredibly violent paroxysms. — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 20 Mar. 2026 The lack of oxygen sends your body into frenzied paroxysms of cringe. — Hallie Cantor, New Yorker, 8 Jan. 2026 Less than a paroxysm of triumph, Ferran Torres’ winning goal pierced the tension and sent a small pocket of Spain superfans behind the goal into shrieks of relief. — Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2019 Finally, the paroxysms of violence across the arc of instability from North Africa to South Asia have led some observers to conclude that disorder in the Middle East could threaten the entire global order. — Jake Sullivan, Foreign Affairs, 5 Mar. 2018 See All Example Sentences for paroxysm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paroxysm
  1. explosion
  2. upheaval
  3. outburst
  4. unrest
  5. burst
  6. revolution
  7. eruption
  8. convulsion
Noun
  • More recently, the Kremlin has expressed hope that those who orchestrated the explosions will be held accountable.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The trailer also featured glimpses of steamy makeouts, ATV chases down the beach, fiery explosions, and good ol’ bar fights.
    — Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of explosion
Noun
  • Political upheaval The prosecutions have unfolded against the backdrop of dramatic changes in relations between Washington and Caracas.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026
  • As Japan entered a period of political upheaval in the mid-nineteenth century, criminal gangs became useful in a new way.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of upheaval
Noun
  • The cause of their displeasure has to do with scenes woven throughout that illustrate how Baldwin got his reputation for angry outbursts – confrontations with paparazzi through the years, for instance.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026
  • This is not the first time Blair has experienced an outburst on a plane.
    — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of outburst
Noun
  • The island, known for its luxury beach resorts, last experienced similar unrest in 1999, when the death of a popular musician in police custody sparked days of rioting.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Israel and Western countries then boycotted its government, fueling months of unrest and fighting that led to the Hamas takeover of Gaza the next year.
    — Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of unrest
Noun
  • Shuting Qiu’s lineup of vivid patterns and billowing silhouettes offered a burst of color and optimism to the city.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Even during historically warm winters, intense cold snaps, lake-effect bursts, and major individual snowstorms remain entirely possible.
    — Ahmad Bajjey, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • Major technology revolutions have always triggered dramatic boom-bust cycles.
    — RUCHIR SHARMA, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Few contemporary authors embody that idea more than Becky Chambers, whose stories imagine alternative futures—not through grand revolutions or galaxy-spanning battles but through ordinary people trying to care for one another.
    — Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of revolution
Noun
  • Xu Fu and Ma Junsheng also play surrogate dads to Seif, whose increasingly violent eruptions threaten to change the course of his life more than once.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The designation indicates heightened volcanic activity and the potential for an eruption, or an eruption underway with limited hazards to aviation.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of eruption
Noun
  • Since the late nineteenth century, raw white-lead was known to pose a substantial health risk to those exposed to it, prompting symptoms such as swelling of the brain, epileptic convulsions, paralysis, severe colic, and death.
    — Wendy S. Walters, Architectural Digest, 12 Oct. 2026
  • In amphibians, chytridiomycosis causes a wide variety of symptoms including skin damage, red skin, convulsions, and eventually leads to heart failure.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of convulsion

Browse Nearby Words

paroling
paroxysm
paroxysmal
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Cite this Entry

“Paroxysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paroxysm. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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