convulse

American

[kuhn-vuhls] / kənˈvʌls /

verb (used with object)

convulsed, convulsing

to shake violently; agitate.
to cause to shake violently with laughter, anger, pain, etc.
to cause to suffer violent, spasmodic contractions of the muscles.

convulse British

/ kənˈvʌls /

verb

(tr) to shake or agitate violently
(tr) to cause (muscles) to undergo violent spasms or contractions
informal to shake or be overcome (with violent emotion, esp laughter)
(tr) to disrupt the normal running of (a country, etc)

student riots have convulsed India

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

convulsedly adverb
convulsibility noun
convulsible adjective
convulsive adjective
convulsively adverb
convulsiveness noun
unconvulsed adjective

Etymology

Origin of convulse

First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin convulsus, past participle of convellere “to shatter, tear loose,” equivalent to con- intensive prefix + vul- (variant stem of vellere “to pull, tear”) + -sus, variant of -tus past participle suffix; con-

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.

The markets convulsed upon reading the Bank of England's decision to put rates on hold.

From BBC

Boutros said that when she heard the news of his death "I don't know what happened to me. I collapsed on the ground and was convulsing".

From Barron's

Oil markets could convulse if Tehran disrupted Gulf shipping.

From The Wall Street Journal

His voice rasped, and his face convulsed, a grunt of pain.

From Literature

The man’s eyes rolled back in his head and he started convulsing.

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023