1
as in to cripple
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move
a blizzard paralyzed the city for two days
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 paralyze
These figures can feel abstract, even paralyzing.
—
Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 4 May 2026
Lane harrowingly captures the paralyzing fear of being ordinary, while Metcalf will overwhelm you with the sheer emotion of her performance as Willy’s fiercely loyal wife, Linda.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 3 May 2026
Her other sister, Antoinette Taylor, had a fiancé, Malieke Thomas, 55, who was paralyzed on the front lawn after engaging in a brief gunfight with Pouncey.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
According to some experts, this paralyzing fear and desperation are factors that scammers exploit to put their criminal schemes into action.
—Albinson Linares, NBC news, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paralyze
Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 4 May 2026
Lane harrowingly captures the paralyzing fear of being ordinary, while Metcalf will overwhelm you with the sheer emotion of her performance as Willy’s fiercely loyal wife, Linda.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 3 May 2026
Her other sister, Antoinette Taylor, had a fiancé, Malieke Thomas, 55, who was paralyzed on the front lawn after engaging in a brief gunfight with Pouncey.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2026
According to some experts, this paralyzing fear and desperation are factors that scammers exploit to put their criminal schemes into action.
—Albinson Linares, NBC news, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paralyze
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paralyze
Verb
-
But his personal and party polls are dismal, crippled by what critics and analysts say has been a series of unforced errors.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
12 May 2026
-
Just a few successful strikes could cripple the region’s oil and gas infrastructure for years if not decades, throwing the world, and the United States, into a prolonged economic crisis.—
Robert Kagan,
The Atlantic,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
The massive frame and comically long wingspan of Victor Wembanyama seemed to intimidate Randle, who spent most possessions either deferring to his teammates or forcing his own shot.—
Dane Mizutani,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2026
-
To stand a chance, Cîrstea had to refuse to be intimidated by Sabalenka’s phenomenally powerful hitting and considerable aura.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
One shot him with a 40-millimeter round, which is designed to incapacitate people without killing them.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
-
Norman Hunter, 48, of Dolton, also was struck by a car while incapacitated, the medical examiner’s office said.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
The Lord in your convent frightened me, Jesus with his bloody palms and gaping mouth, eyes rolled back in terror.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
-
How To Keep Skunks Away From Your Yard There are no effective repellants or devices that frighten skunks away.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The question is whether this bill does so or instead sweeps innocent families into an overbroad administrative system that does little to improve child safety while undermining constitutional protections for parents.—
James R Mason,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
-
John blamed Steve for the Mac Division’s poor sales and lambasted him for undermining his authority.—
Geoffrey Cain,
Vanity Fair,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
And be terrified of squandering it and hurting themselves much more than limiting player salaries would help them.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
-
Starring Kim Hye-yoon and Lee Jong-won, the film follows a road-view camera crew that encounters terrifying supernatural events at a remote reservoir.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As consumer activity has weakened, the central bank has warned about the growing misalignment between real sentiment and headline GDP growth.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
-
Heat can shrink fabrics, fade colors and weaken elastic fibers, which shortens the life of garments that would otherwise hold up for years.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Shopping malls across Southern California have also struggled to bring sales back as immigration raids continue to scare customers away.—
Itzel Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
Don’t let the threat of more rain scare you away from checking out what’s going on around Kansas City.—
Joseph Hernandez,
Kansas City Star,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paralyze.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralyze. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
