paralyzed

adjective

par·​a·​lyzed ˈper-ə-ˌlīzd 

ˈpa-rə-

1

: affected with paralysis

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

• paralytic

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Flynt survived but was partially paralyzed and often in extreme pain, prompting an addiction to painkillers. —David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, 2 Jan. 2023

About 200 victims were permanently paralyzed and 10 died. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 30 Nov. 2022

The operation went well, but the next day, a blood clot caused by the procedure cut off oxygen to his brain stem, leaving him paralyzed and unable to speak. —Megan Molteni, STAT, 10 Nov. 2022

The country’s banking system is paralyzed and food prices have soared. —Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2022

The disease attacked his ear, paralyzed and collapsed the right side of his face and gave him mobility, vision, speech, taste and hearing problems. —Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 27 July 2022

Even as America’s national debt tops $30 trillion, Washington politics is all but paralyzed and inflation is at 40-year highs, investors can’t buy dollars fast enough. —William Pesek, Forbes, 24 June 2022

There are so many things that can and need to be done, and becoming paralyzed and overwhelmed with rage, which is so easy to do, is going to create stasis. —Hilary Lewis, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 June 2022

One was paralyzed and a second victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his back, shoulder and wrist, prosecutors said. —Hartford Courant, 8 June 2022

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Word History

First Known Use

1763, in the meaning defined at sense 1