paralyzed

adjective

par·​a·​lyzed ˈper-ə-ˌlīzd 

ˈpa-rə-

1

: affected with paralysis

… a viral infection that paralyzed half her face and impaired her balance, hearing, and eyesight …

—Golf

If the right hemisphere of the brain is badly damaged in its sensory (parietal) areas, patients may show … an unawareness that anything is the matter, even though the left side of their body is senseless or paralyzed.

—Oliver Sacks

Thousands of paralyzed people worldwide are in the socially closed-off state.

—Christen Brownlee

2

: rendered incapable of movement or action

I was not found by the teacher until what seemed to me hours later but was probably five minutes, paralyzed with fright.

—Kay Boyle

Those who uncover plagiarism become paralyzed with embarrassment, letting the culprit escape rather than confronting him.

—Walter Kendrick

Synonyms of paralyzed

• disabled
• paralytic

Examples of paralyzed in a Sentence

special ramps for paralyzed people in wheelchairs

a seemingly paralyzed mayor sat by as the city's crime rate soared

Recent Examples on the Web

Their mother was lying in the yard after jumping out a second-story window, and remains paralyzed from the waist down. — Michael Casey, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026

Hines, 66, has seized on the problems with the previous execution, saying his health issues — including two strokes that left him partially paralyzed — increase the risk of difficulties at his execution. — ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026

Afterward, Clancy cut her wrists and neck and jumped out of a second-story window, leaving her paralyzed. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026

Implantable systems that enable paralyzed people to operate computers, wheelchairs, cursors, and other equipment with just their thoughts have been shown by Neuralink and other initiatives. — Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1763, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for paralyzed

• acclimatized
• aerosolized
• alphabetized
• aluminized
• anaesthetized
• anesthetized
• annualized
• antagonized
• apologised
• apologized
• capitalised
• capitalized