charley-horse

A form of charley horse — Synonym of cramp, a painful involuntary muscle contraction, particularly a strong cramp in the torso, arms, or legs.

Meanings

nouncharley-horse (plural charley-horses)

plural charley-horses

  1. alternativeAlternative spelling of charley horse.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna muscular cramp (especially in the thigh or calf) following vigorous exercise

Broader
spasmcrampmuscle spasm

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Cite this entry
APA

charley-horse. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/charley-horse

MLA

“charley-horse.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/charley-horse. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “charley-horse,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/charley-horse.

Source: charley-horse on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.