paralyze
verb
par·a·lyze
ˈper-ə-ˌlīz 
ˈpa-rə-
paralyzed; paralyzing
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
Evelyn WhiteheadExamples 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
The role is particularly noteworthy considering Dane announced earlier this year that he was diagnosed with ALS, a neurodegenerative disease that gradually paralyzes the body by destroying the nerve cells that control muscle movement.
—Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 20 Oct. 2025
The demonstrations come as the federal government enters its 18th day of shutdown, which has paralyzed federal programs and services while testing the constitutional balance of power.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
The state appears to now use two doses of the sedative pentobarbital, with the attorneys saying the inmates drown in a rush of fluid into their lungs but are paralyzed and cannot react.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2025
Yolo jurors in June failed to reach a verdict after a months-long trial in the killings that paralyzed Davis in late April and May 2023.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paralyze
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.
Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 20 Oct. 2025
The demonstrations come as the federal government enters its 18th day of shutdown, which has paralyzed federal programs and services while testing the constitutional balance of power.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
The state appears to now use two doses of the sedative pentobarbital, with the attorneys saying the inmates drown in a rush of fluid into their lungs but are paralyzed and cannot react.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2025
Yolo jurors in June failed to reach a verdict after a months-long trial in the killings that paralyzed Davis in late April and May 2023.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paralyze
Cite this Entry
“Paralyze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paralyze. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
paralyzed or British paralysed; paralyzing or British paralysing
: to affect with paralysis
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share