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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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
At the same time, there are ongoing, if uneven, efforts to reckon with this paralysis.
—
Jasmin Lilian Diab, The Conversation, 5 Apr. 2026
If for some reason a coral snake does gnaw on you, its venom can cause paralysis.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 30 Mar. 2026
At that point, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals began working with the adoption group to care for Albert, who cannot have the bullet removed for risk of paralysis.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
In Guillain-Barré syndrome, a post-viral autoimmune process destroys nerves, in some cases causing paralysis.
—Veronique Greenwood, Time, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paralysis
Jasmin Lilian Diab, The Conversation, 5 Apr. 2026
If for some reason a coral snake does gnaw on you, its venom can cause paralysis.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 30 Mar. 2026
At that point, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals began working with the adoption group to care for Albert, who cannot have the bullet removed for risk of paralysis.
—Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
In Guillain-Barré syndrome, a post-viral autoimmune process destroys nerves, in some cases causing paralysis.
—Veronique Greenwood, Time, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paralysis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paralysis
Noun
-
Children with moderate to severe disabilities cannot be accommodated.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
-
In special education, the contract establishes a 20-to-1 staffing ratio for certain teachers working with students with disabilities and includes stronger enforcement of class size limits, with higher penalties for violations, union leaders said.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Spears, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, showed signs of impairment and underwent field sobriety tests, CHP said.—
Shafiq Najib,
ABC News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
If a woman named Mary Brown can’t solve a captcha, visual impairment is a statistically likely reason.—
Amanda Gefter,
Quanta Magazine,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Since receiving her diagnosis, Weedman’s Bell’s palsy has been written into her characters on Hacks, Abbot Elementary and Sirens.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Sunshine died March 15 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, after a battle with progressive supranuclear palsy, a family spokesperson announced.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Years of the petrodollar’s weakening grasp The petrodollar’s weakness has been quietly exposed for even years prior to Saudi Arabia’s currency swap with China.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Reinsdorf also emphasized the importance of both internal and external communication for a new hire, a notable weakness of the Karnišovas administration.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paralysis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralysis. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
