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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paralysis
Transformational coach Eron Zehavi focuses on how interpretation shapes paralysis and movement.
—
Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
In the production, Hayes plays Elliott, a writer grappling with creative paralysis who retreats to a remote cabin, only to find the line between imagination and reality dangerously blurred.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
For governments, company leaders, investors, and others, the danger of the present lies not in uncertainty itself, but in the demand for overly simple solutions and the paralysis induced by their inevitable failure.
—Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
About one in 200 people who contract polio will experience a form of paralysis.
—Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paralysis
Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
In the production, Hayes plays Elliott, a writer grappling with creative paralysis who retreats to a remote cabin, only to find the line between imagination and reality dangerously blurred.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
For governments, company leaders, investors, and others, the danger of the present lies not in uncertainty itself, but in the demand for overly simple solutions and the paralysis induced by their inevitable failure.
—Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
About one in 200 people who contract polio will experience a form of paralysis.
—Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paralysis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paralysis
Noun
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On one hand, Davidson’s disability is the inspiration for I Swear; the film’s star, Robert Aramayo, won the BAFTA rising-star award on Sunday as well as the lead-actor prize over front-runners Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio.—
John Ross,
Vanity Fair,
23 Feb. 2026
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Jeopardizing government benefits Research shows that mutual aid disproportionately supports low-income households, undocumented families, people with disabilities and communities of color.—
Pamala Wiepking,
The Conversation,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Brandt also notes that subjective cognitive impairment — the participants’ personal sense of changes in their memory, attention, visual and spatial cognition, and executive function — was the focus of the study.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
23 Feb. 2026
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The driver remained at the scene to cooperate with the LBPD investigation, police said, noting that speed, distracted driving and impairment did not appear to be factors.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Jackson, who had battled the neurodegenerative condition progressive supranuclear palsy for more than a decade, died at home Tuesday surrounded by family.—
Johanna Neuman,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
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Progressive supranuclear palsy is a rare brain disease that affects body movements, walking and balance, eye movements and swallowing, according to the Mayo Clinic.—
Bebe Hodges,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But some analysts say Iran's unprecedented weakness at home could diminish the flexibility of its country's leadership to make the kinds of compromises necessary for a deal.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Feb. 2026
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But ask anyone who knows him about Kuechly’s weaknesses, and the first thing that might come up is his deflection of praise.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paralysis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralysis. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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