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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Recent Examples of paralysis
This is why internal differences within the system do not amount to paralysis.
—
Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 9 May 2026
The 28-year-old New Zealander was born with Moebius syndrome, an incredibly rare neurological condition that causes facial paralysis, limiting her mobility in her eyebrows and upper lip.
—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
Partial paralysis of the arm causes dead weight that strains the shoulder.
—Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
But as is the case in many endless-possibility scenarios, decision paralysis often comes with the territory.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for paralysis
Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 9 May 2026
The 28-year-old New Zealander was born with Moebius syndrome, an incredibly rare neurological condition that causes facial paralysis, limiting her mobility in her eyebrows and upper lip.
—Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
Partial paralysis of the arm causes dead weight that strains the shoulder.
—Shelley Jones, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
But as is the case in many endless-possibility scenarios, decision paralysis often comes with the territory.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for paralysis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paralysis
Noun
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Help people develop, recover or regain the skills needed for daily living and working after an injury, illness, disability or mental health challenge.—
ByBryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
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Hardship programs Some creditors offer temporary hardship assistance for borrowers who are facing financial challenges tied to retirement, disability or reduced income.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
Noun
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Patients with damage to the anterior insula and putamen show selective impairments.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
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Up to 80% of people who receive chemo experience some degree of cognitive impairment, previous studies have shown.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Back in 2024, Embiid battled the Knicks in a first-round playoff series months after left knee surgery and dealt with Bell’s palsy.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
4 May 2026
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Philadelphia will now play the New York Knicks in the second round, a rematch of a heated 2024 first-round series the Knicks won in six, during which Embiid played through Bell’s palsy.—
Sahil Kapur,
NBC news,
4 May 2026
Noun
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Rippling was also built with a stronger emphasis on operational infrastructure and compliance, according to Conrad, who has said that one of the weaknesses at Zenefits was that a lot was done manually behind the scenes.—
Ellen Sheng,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
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Brunson’s defense and the lack of rim protection from Towns remain weaknesses, but nobody has come close to exploiting them so far.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paralysis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralysis. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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