# spasm

/ˈspæzəm/ (US) · /spˈæzəm/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/spasm
Updated: 2026-05-20

## Definition

a sudden, short, and often painful muscle contraction that you cannot control. It can also describe a sudden, short burst of activity or emotion.

For teachers: a sudden, involuntary, and often painful contraction of a muscle or group of muscles. In a figurative sense, it refers to a sudden, brief, and intense burst of activity or emotion.

## Examples

- He suffered from a sudden muscle spasm in his leg.
- The sudden spasm of the engine caused the car to stall on the highway.
- The sudden spasm of the crowd's applause was followed by a long, uncomfortable silence as the speaker realized his mistake.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.