Definitions
- Describing a sudden and involuntary contraction or movement of muscles. - Referring to something that occurs in irregular bursts or fits. - Talking about something that is characterized by sudden and brief outbursts of activity or emotion.
- Referring to something that occurs at irregular intervals or with breaks in between. - Describing something that alternates between periods of activity and inactivity. - Talking about something that is not continuous or steady but occurs periodically.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words describe irregular occurrences.
- 2Both words suggest a lack of continuity or regularity.
- 3Both words can be used to describe physical or emotional phenomena.
What is the difference?
- 1Nature: Spasmodic suggests sudden and involuntary movements or outbursts, while intermittent suggests irregular but deliberate occurrences.
- 2Frequency: Spasmodic implies infrequent and unpredictable occurrences, while intermittent suggests recurring but irregular events.
- 3Duration: Spasmodic suggests brief and sudden occurrences, while intermittent can refer to longer periods of activity or inactivity.
- 4Connotation: Spasmodic has a negative connotation, suggesting uncontrollable or erratic behavior, while intermittent is neutral and can be used in positive or negative contexts.
- 5Usage: Spasmodic is more commonly used to describe physical phenomena, while intermittent can be used to describe both physical and non-physical phenomena.
Remember this!
Spasmodic and intermittent are both words that describe irregular occurrences. However, spasmodic suggests sudden and involuntary movements or outbursts, while intermittent suggests recurring but irregular events. Additionally, spasmodic has a negative connotation and is more commonly used to describe physical phenomena, while intermittent is neutral and can be used to describe both physical and non-physical phenomena.
