1
as in bursts
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
a paroxysm of laughter greeted the pratfall
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in upheavals
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
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Recent Examples of paroxysms
The post is now nearing a hundred million views and inspiring paroxysms of millennial self-reckoning.
—
Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2025
Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paroxysms
Noun
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Even the vets warned that such bursts of energy sometimes signal a final surge before decline, but Luna proved them wrong.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
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Beyond this, annual flowers such as petunias, marigolds, and zinnias can be used to add bursts of color throughout your beds and borders.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Details in geomyths can shed light on how and when great geological upheavals occurred around the globe, and how humans responded to them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
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The Industry Has Handled Huge Shifts Before When discussion turned to AI, Pearn recalled earlier upheavals.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Davidson’s condition, which leads him to make foul-mouthed outbursts, was barely understood at the time and was the source of misunderstandings, bullying, and harassment.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Oct. 2025
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Giudice’s mother famously flipped a table at a restaurant in season one of and was known for her outbursts.—
Jenni Fink,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, loss of balance and convulsions.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
20 Oct. 2025
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Symptoms can be severe and include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, sometimes following gastrointestinal symptoms.—
News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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For the rest of the nineteenth century and into the twentieth century, magnetic storms, triggered by colossal solar explosions, repeatedly disrupted those networks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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While tectonic activity is the leading cause, earthquakes can also result from volcanic eruptions, underground explosions, and human activities like mining or large-scale construction.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Nowhere have these coups and revolutions promoted and funded by NED (and the CIA itself) been even remotely successful.—
Ron Paul,
Oc Register,
14 Oct. 2025
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These novels were published before the revolutions of 1989, which would topple communism in the country.—
Walt Hunter,
The Atlantic,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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While tectonic activity is the leading cause, earthquakes can also result from volcanic eruptions, underground explosions, and human activities like mining or large-scale construction.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
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To prepare for the inevitable, ESA is expanding its monitoring network and preparing for the 2031 Vigil mission — a new spacecraft that will sit at the sun-Earth L5 point to give earlier warnings of incoming solar eruptions.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
24 Oct. 2025
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The Øresund Bridge is designed to withstand ship collisions, aircraft impacts, earthquakes, and high winds.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Paroxysms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paroxysms. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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