PARALYSES Synonyms: 25 Similar and Opposite Words

paralysis

noun

pə-ˈra-lə-səs

Definition of paralysis

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 Clancy then ingested prescription medication, slashed her wrists and neck with a knife, and apparently threw herself head first out of a second-story window, resulting in permanent paralysis from the sternum down. — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026 Public health staff said people over 50 and residents with health problems are at a greater risk of serious illnesses, including meningitis, encephalitis and limb paralysis. — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026 She’d previously been diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a condition that can be brought on by overexertion, after collapsing from lower-body cramping and temporary leg paralysis during a 2025 playoff series against the Las Vegas Aces. — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Only one out of every 1,900 polio infections results in paralysis. — Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for paralysis

Recent Examples of Synonyms for paralysis

Noun

For families who believe their child's rights were violated based on race, disability, or gender in school, the federal agency often has been one of the main places to turn.

— Claire Sibonney, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
The bill is funded by updating how the VA rates conditions such as tinnitus and sleep apnea, part of a larger overhaul of the disability rating system underway since 2017.

— Vanessa Chism, Baltimore Sun, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of disability

Noun

Havighorst, an executive director of institutional advancement at Prairie State College, was diagnosed with a form of CMT 2 1/2 years ago called heredity neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies.

— Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
Other Live personalities have also opened up about various health occurrences this year, with the show’s longtime emcee and resident DJ, Déjà Vu, revealing in April that she was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, which causes facial paralysis.

— Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, 27 July 2026

Definition of palsy

Noun

Question Ford is not alone in exposing the offensive line weakness on the depth chart.

— Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
According to Briggs, work has become synonymous with busyness and resting is seen as a sign of weakness or something taken only as an extreme reward.

— John Hall, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of weakness

Browse Nearby Words

parallels

paralysis

paralytic

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“Paralysis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralysis. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of paralysis

noun

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