paralysis

noun

pə-ˈra-lə-səs How to pronounce paralysis (audio)
Definition of paralysisnext
as in disability
complete or partial loss of physical function (as motion or sensation) in a part of the body the car accident left one athlete with paralysis from the waist down

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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 paralysis For years, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have promised to help people with severe paralysis communicate. — Shannon Cuthrell, IEEE Spectrum, 20 Aug. 2026 Her family told News Channel 5 that they are focused on her recovery and getting answers about whether any of the damage that caused her paralysis can be reversed. — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026 Skin tints, blurring balms, four kinds of lip liner—amid an increasing bevy of products to choose between, choice paralysis begs the question of what a makeup routine actually requires. — Valeriya Chupinina, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026 Askew, a member of the Gorilla Stone Nation gang, was rushed to Jamaica Medical Center suffering paralysis from the waist down. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for paralysis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paralysis
  1. disability
  2. impairment
  3. palsy
  4. weakness
Noun
  • For families who believe their child's rights were violated based on race, disability, or gender in school, the federal agency often has been one of the main places to turn.
    — Claire Sibonney, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The bill is funded by updating how the VA rates conditions such as tinnitus and sleep apnea, part of a larger overhaul of the disability rating system underway since 2017.
    — Vanessa Chism, Baltimore Sun, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of disability
Noun
  • Hormone therapy should not be prescribed specifically as a treatment for cognitive impairment or as a way to prevent dementia, Rozenfeld says.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Geriatric ERs also try to counter sensory impairment, another contributor to delirium, by distributing reading glasses and sound-amplifying devices.
    — Paula Span, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of impairment
Noun
  • Other Live personalities have also opened up about various health occurrences this year, with the show’s longtime emcee and resident DJ, Déjà Vu, revealing in April that she was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, which causes facial paralysis.
    — Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, 27 July 2026
  • Back in 2024, Embiid battled the Knicks in a first-round playoff series months after left knee surgery and dealt with Bell’s palsy.
    — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 4 May 2026
Definition of palsy
Noun
  • Question Ford is not alone in exposing the offensive line weakness on the depth chart.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • According to Briggs, work has become synonymous with busyness and resting is seen as a sign of weakness or something taken only as an extreme reward.
    — John Hall, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of weakness

Browse Nearby Words

parallels
paralysis
paralytic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Paralysis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralysis. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on paralysis

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about paralysis

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