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 late July, Johnson sent the House home a day early for August recess because the House was paralyzed in a stalemate over the Epstein issue. —John Parkinson, ABC News, 18 Nov. 2025

Headlines regularly paint this cohort as stressed about money, risk-averse, and paralyzed by economic uncertainty. —Nick Molnar, Fortune, 13 Nov. 2025

But in southern states like Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas, even 1 to 3 inches can paralyze roads. —Sirena Bergman, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025

In May 2021, one of the largest fuel pipeline systems in the United States was paralyzed when a cyberattack brought operations to an abrupt halt. —Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025

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
• agonize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize

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