spasm

/ˈspæzəm/
noun
  1. A sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle or group of muscles.
    • Cold water can sometimes cause a muscle spasm in swimmers.
    • He felt a painful spasm in his lower back after lifting the heavy box.
    • The doctor said the twitching in her eyelid was just a minor muscle spasm.
  2. A sudden, brief burst of activity, emotion, or energy.
    • The market experienced a spasm of panic selling before recovering.
    • The old engine started with a spasm of coughing and then died again.
    • She had a spasm of laughter during the serious meeting and couldn't stop.
Antonyms
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