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
- antispasmodic adjective
- postspasmodic adjective
- spasmodically adverb
- unspasmodic adjective
- unspasmodical adjective
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.
My symptoms matched all the descriptions for the rarer form of the disorder, called abductor spasmodic dysphonia.
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
Mr Kennedy has a voice disorder, spasmodic dysphonia, which affects the muscles in his voice box.
From BBC • Apr. 5, 2023
Cluny’s horde was only making spasmodic sallies from the ditch now.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
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.
