as in disability
complete or partial loss of physical function (as motion or sensation) in a part of the body the car accident left one athlete with paralysis from the waist down

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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.
Recent Examples of paralysis It is often diagnosed by a rash around the tick bite and can later lead to symptoms such as facial paralysis, brain fog, numbness, swollen joints or nerve damage. Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 3 Aug. 2025 Symptoms of the more serious illness include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis, according to the CDC. Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 28 July 2025 Dogs usually start with a stiff-legged gait which rapidly progresses into paralysis in all four legs, according to VCA Animal Hospitals. Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025 When gone untreated, Lyme disease can produce a wide range of symptoms depending on the stage of infection, including fever, rash, facial paralysis, irregular heartbeat and arthritis. Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for paralysis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paralysis
Noun
  • The disability application process can be long and discouraging, and many people are denied at first.
    Health, Health, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Every time a seizure happens, brain damage occurs that can lead to learning difficulties and other lifelong disabilities.
    Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Lithium levels were consistently lower in patients with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s compared to those with normal brain function.
    Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
  • The company booked a $3.8 billion impairment on its Kraft Heinz stake as well, marking down its value to $8.4 billion.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Symptoms can include a rash and flu-like symptoms, with some people going on to experience arthritis, facial palsy, pain, irregular heartbeats and other worsening symptoms.
    Grace Gavilanes, People.com, 31 July 2025
  • The Emmy-winning composer died Thursday at his home in Los Angeles following an eight-year battle with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), Clausen’s daughter told the Hollywood Reporter.
    Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 31 May 2025
Noun
  • Kindness may sound like a luxury in today’s high-takes, deliver-faster, do more with less, margin-tighter world—or worse, weakness.
    Jason Walker PsyD, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • German fashion house Hugo Boss posted a better-than-feared dip in second quarter sales and maintained its full-year guidance, despite flagging weakness in the key Chinese market.
    Jenni Reid,Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2025

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“Paralysis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralysis. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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