paralyze

verb

par·​a·​lyze ˈper-ə-ˌlīz 

ˈpa-rə-

paralyzed; paralyzing

transitive verb

1

: to affect with paralysis

The snake's venom paralyzed the mouse.

2

: to make powerless or ineffective

A strike would paralyze the industry.

3

: unnerve

The paralyzing thing is the uncertainty …

—Evelyn Whitehead

4

: stun, stupefy

I would paralyze the empire with the news!

—Rudyard Kipling

5

: to bring to an end : prevent, destroy

… deadlock paralyzed action.

—F. A. Ogg and Harold Zink

paralyzation

ˌper-ə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

ˌpa-rə-

noun

paralyzer

ˈper-ə-ˌlī-zər 

ˈpa-rə-

noun

paralyzingly

ˈper-ə-ˌlī-ziŋ-lē 

ˈpa-rə

adverb

Synonyms of paralyze

• cripple
• incapacitate
• undermine
• weaken
• immobilize
• disable

Examples of paralyze in a Sentence

The snake's venom paralyzed the mouse.

The air strikes have paralyzed the city's transportation system.

The company was paralyzed by debt.

Recent Examples on the Web

In fact, if the knife had landed a centimeter to the left, she would have been paralyzed. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 17 July 2026

On top of that, Tea Party factions of the Republicans’ House majority regularly paralyzed the party during the Obama administration. — David M. Drucker, Mercury News, 15 July 2026

Yolo Superior Court jurors deliberated for weeks at Dominguez’s initial 2025 trial in the stabbings that paralyzed Davis before acquitting him on one murder count and failing to reach a verdict on a second murder count. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026

Later the internet would help Lillard stay informed and learn about all sorts of topics, including her disease, which paralyzed her from the neck down. — CNN Money, 11 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

French paralyser, back-formation from paralysie paralysis, from Latin paralysis

First Known Use

1763, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for paralyze

• advertise
• aggrandize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize
• butterflies

Kids Definition

paralyze

verb

par·​a·​lyze ˈpar-ə-ˌlīz 

paralyzed; paralyzing

1

: to affect with paralysis

2

: to make powerless or unable to act, function, or move

Medical Definition

paralyze

transitive verb

par·​a·​lyze

variants or British paralyse

ˈpar-ə-ˌlīz 

paralyzed or British paralysed; paralyzing or British paralysing

: to affect with paralysis

paralyzation noun

or British paralysation

ˌpar-ə-lə-ˈzā-shən