1
as in to cripple
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move
a blizzard paralyzed the city for two days
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to intimidate
to deprive of courage or confidence
the school board is paralyzed by the threat of lawsuits for just about everything
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Recent Examples of paralyze
Williams was paralyzed in the crash.
—
Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
Inky Johnson left college football due to an injury that paralyzed his right arm.
—Haley Sawyer, Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026
Emma’s shocking admission rattles the entire wedding party, particularly Haim’s Rachel, whose cousin was left paralyzed by an act of gun violence.
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 3 Apr. 2026
In the darkened foyer, Ember contemplated this unassuming bit of paper, momentarily paralyzed by a mixture of dread and excitement stirred together, an overpowering sensation that oozed from the crown of her head, down the length of her body, then hardened, like a soft golden resin becoming solid.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paralyze
Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 4 Apr. 2026
Inky Johnson left college football due to an injury that paralyzed his right arm.
—Haley Sawyer, Daily News, 4 Apr. 2026
Emma’s shocking admission rattles the entire wedding party, particularly Haim’s Rachel, whose cousin was left paralyzed by an act of gun violence.
—Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 3 Apr. 2026
In the darkened foyer, Ember contemplated this unassuming bit of paper, momentarily paralyzed by a mixture of dread and excitement stirred together, an overpowering sensation that oozed from the crown of her head, down the length of her body, then hardened, like a soft golden resin becoming solid.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paralyze
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paralyze
Verb
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The move crippled the agency — as intended.—
Tracy Stone-Manning,
Denver Post,
21 Apr. 2026
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Eden outlined how, by crippling universities over charges of antisemitism, McMahon could also achieve larger goals.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Defendants face charges under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act and conspiracy statutes and are accused of intimidating worshippers and disrupting religious services.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
19 Apr. 2026
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While some online say their attire looks intimidating, people who have worked with them personally say otherwise.—
Carmela Karcher,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Mojtaba Khamenei’s absence from public life has raised speculation that he could be incapacitated or dead.—
Mike Brest,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Apr. 2026
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The lieutenant governor assumes the top job if the governor is incapacitated or dies.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There’s no surefire way to frighten bees and other stinger pollinators from your home, but there are ways to make your living space less attractive to them.—
Asia London Palomba,
The Spruce,
7 Apr. 2026
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When to see a doctor Ashamalla stressed that people shouldn’t be frightened by every ache or pain.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Anwar, the state lawmaker and physician, expressed concern that lawsuits undermine patients’ faith in their doctors.—
Noam N. Levey,
Hartford Courant,
20 Apr. 2026
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The move comes amid a broader crackdown on speech since the start of the Iran war, targeting those expressing support for Tehran or criticism of Gulf governments, and the publication of images of war damage, which are seen as undermining public confidence and stability.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Monitor was always meant to be experienced with a room full of people being terrified together.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
15 Apr. 2026
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Directed by Lee Sang-min, the film stars Kim Hye-yoon and Lee Jong-won as a road-view camera crew that encounters terrifying supernatural events at a remote reservoir.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Every time a middle-class family is forced to drain its wealth or pull back on discretionary spending just to absorb the logistical cost of a geopolitical crisis, the entire economy weakens.—
Katica Roy,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
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But an industry post from commercial real estate analytics firm CoStar cites geopolitical conflict and high ticket prices for weakening demand and hotelier optimism.—
Vivian Song,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This isn’t a film about trauma, or smuggled-in social issues, or anything at all, really, besides the honest workaday business of scaring the bejesus out of its audience, rinsing, and repeating with extra vigor.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
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The combination doesn’t scare everyone.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paralyze.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralyze. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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