Thesaurus results for CHARLEY HORSE

charley horse

noun

ˈchär-lē-ˌhȯrs

Definition of charley horse

as in cramp

a painful sudden tightening of a muscle had to stop and rest because of a charley horse in his leg

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of charley horse More commonly known as a charley horse, a nighttime leg cramp is when the muscles in a leg quickly tighten up. — Erica Lamberg, Fox News, 4 Feb. 2024 Leg cramps, sometimes called charley horses, are sudden, involuntary muscle contractions that cause intense shooting pain that lasts seconds to minutes. — Amy Brownstein, Ms, Rdn, Verywell Health, 31 Oct. 2024 After walking Jung Hoo Lee on five pitches to lead off the seventh, Gore left the game alongside a trainer in the middle of a plate appearance against Matt Chapman due to a charley horse in his left leg. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 23 May 2025 David Della-Giustina, MD, an emergency medicine doctor and professor of emergency medicine at Yale School of Medicine, says those heat cramps feel like a muscle spasm, or what's known as a charley horse. — Leah Groth, Health.com, 17 June 2020 See All Example Sentences for charley horse

Recent Examples of Synonyms for charley horse

Noun

Use a buddy system with your travel companions and watch each other for dizziness, nausea, muscle cramps and cool, clammy skin.

— Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026
Use the buddy system all day watch your travel companions for dizziness, nausea, muscle cramps or cool, clammy skin, and ask them to watch you.

— Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2026

Definition of cramp

Noun

The alternatives to a stitch-up, of course, entail a lack of control, and perhaps even chaos.

— Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 7 July 2026
An embossed pattern creates subtle dimension without making the bed look too busy, while the stitch-free design keeps the fabric feeling smooth and lightweight.

— Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026

Definition of stitch

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charlatans

charley horse

charley horses

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“Charley horse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/charley%20horse. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of charley horse

noun

Example Sentences

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