1
as in turbulent
marked by sudden or violent disturbance
the assassination of Martin Luther King was one of the most convulsive events of the 1960s
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2
as in violent
marked by bursts of destructive force or intense activity
after a day of convulsive trading, the stock market was down 300 points
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Recent Examples of convulsive
Coming at the end of a convulsive final day in Baku, Azerbaijan, the conclusion of the Conference of the Parties was greeted by applause.
—
Antonio Piemontese, WIRED, 25 Nov. 2024
Americans are sleepwalking toward convulsive pain, a consequence of decades of easy money policies to prevent minor pains.
—George F. Will, Washington Post, 21 June 2024
In the 1890s, amid the convulsive changes of the industrial era and an upsurge in labor conflict and farmers’ political organizing, nearly four million African Americans were stripped of their voting rights.
—Suzanne Mettler, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2020
That period was a convulsive time in U.S.-Cuba relations marked by the signing of the migration accords after the Balseros crisis, the shootdown of the Brothers to the Rescue planes and the passing of the Libertad Act, also known as Helms-Burton.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for convulsive
Antonio Piemontese, WIRED, 25 Nov. 2024
Americans are sleepwalking toward convulsive pain, a consequence of decades of easy money policies to prevent minor pains.
—George F. Will, Washington Post, 21 June 2024
In the 1890s, amid the convulsive changes of the industrial era and an upsurge in labor conflict and farmers’ political organizing, nearly four million African Americans were stripped of their voting rights.
—Suzanne Mettler, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2020
That period was a convulsive time in U.S.-Cuba relations marked by the signing of the migration accords after the Balseros crisis, the shootdown of the Brothers to the Rescue planes and the passing of the Libertad Act, also known as Helms-Burton.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for convulsive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for convulsive
Adjective
-
Overanalyzing every win and loss will make your journey feel more turbulent than necessary.—
Nelson Chu,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Interesting, turbulent life (including 22 years in prison).—
Jay Nordlinger,
National Review,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Third, the violent reaction in financial markets that followed Mr. Trump's latest tariff salvo could persuade him to change course.—
Alain Sherter,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2025
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Adams said the pair had discussed how to combat violent migrant gangs and embedding more New York Police Department officers into federal task forces.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
There’s scenario No. 1: Either Carter, a ferocious All-American pass rusher, or Hunter, a generational wide receiver-cornerback hybrid, is available, and the Patriots can add a premium talent at a position of need in what can only be described as a front-office dream.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
16 Apr. 2025
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In other words, if Instagram had even somewhat appeared as a future threat to Facebook or Facebook’s competition, there would have been a ferocious bidding war for Instagram that would have pushed its purchase price far, far above $1 billion.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The documentary follows the story of Ángel, a charismatic boy with fierce love for his Guarani roots and a vision for his Paraguayan hometown of Nanawa.—
Lise Pedersen,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2025
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The Battle of Okinawa lasted 82 days, with fierce fighting on land and sea.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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At that point, a furious Boone earned himself an ejection from home plate ump Adam Beck, whose zone the manager already had complaints about.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
20 Apr. 2025
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Davis had 23 points at Viejas Arena in a game the Spartans led by 21 before a furious Aztecs rally produced for an improbable 71-68 victory.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Analysis of the basaltic (volcanic) rock brought back from the SPA basin by Chang'e 6 yields a mantle source water content of between just 1 and 1.5 μg.g⁻¹ (micrograms — millionths of a gram — per gram of sample).—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Black Sands Beach United States California’s Black Sands Beach, near the tiny town of Shelter Cove, is a 3.5-mile shoreline blanketed in smooth, black pebbles, a result of volcanic rock eroded by waves.—
Mariette Williams,
AFAR Media,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Her audience is rabid — this writer among them — for her one-of-a-kind blend of Great American Songbook musical styles and twentysomething-relevant lyrics.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
12 Apr. 2025
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For all that, Graves can thank his limited menu, which helps keep costs down, and the chain’s rabid fanbase.—
Chase Peterson-Withorn,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Convulsive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/convulsive. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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