Synonyms for spasmodic
- adjective
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Fitful — intermittent or fitful; occurring in abrupt bursts
fitful, intermittent, sporadic, desultory, stop-start, unsteady, ragged, discontinuous, broken, patchy, variable, catchy, intermissive, irregular
2. Convulsive — convulsive; consisting of spasms
Definitions
- adj. 1
Convulsive; consisting of spasms.
- adj. 2
Intermittent or fitful; occurring in abrupt bursts.
spasmodic zeal or industry
Related words
- Word family
- spasmodically spasmodicity spasmodicness spasm
- Other spellings
- spasmodical
Example sentences
- intermittent Tom is doing intermittent fasting to lose weight.
- sporadic Sporadic gunfire was heard in the distance.
- fitful Tom's fitful movements only barely resembled dancing.
- desultory Most of the others also lit their pipes and a desultory conversation ensued.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| spasmodic | steady | |
| intermittent | steady | |
| sporadic | steady | |
| fitful | rising | |
| desultory | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 6 letters
- broken2, catchy2, ragged2, patchy2, fitful2
- 7 letters
- spastic2
- 8 letters
- variable4, sporadic3, unsteady3
- 9 letters
- irregular4, desultory4, spasmatic
- 10 letters
- convulsive3
- 12 letters
- intermittent4, intermissive
- 13 letters
- discontinuous
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (broken2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- spasmodique
- Italiano
- spasmodico