1
as in to cripple
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move
a blizzard paralyzed the city for two days
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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 effective closure of the strait has led to major disruptions to the world’s energy flows, sending oil prices above $100 per barrel and threatening to cripple many economies that rely on energy from the Middle East.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
7 Apr. 2026
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Ten feet of flooding would cripple highways along Manhattan’s edges and damage vital infrastructure, including transit links to the airports.—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Rob Johnson, 48, was intimidated stepping onto Red Rocks’ campus in 2024, surrounded by younger people fresh out of high school.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
12 Apr. 2026
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So far, four different men have had at least a share of the lead with Augusta’s intimidating back nine looming in the late afternoon.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and Congressman Shri Thanedar called on the 25th Amendment to be invoked, which would ensure an orderly transfer of power if the president is incapacitated.—
Julia Avant,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
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Instead of using explosives, most attacks used carbon fiber bombs that incapacitated the facilities instead of destroying them.—
Chris Boccia,
ABC News,
7 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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Long-range drone and missile strikes have been a key element of the conflict as both Kyiv and Moscow seek to degrade the other's economy and undermine their ability to prosecute and fund the ongoing war.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
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However, those efforts could be undermined by a recent increase in 2-year yields that threatens to compress excess spreads, according to Bank of America.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Less than a week after the Rangers selected him in the second round of the 2022 NHL Draft, Adam Sýkora stood 100 stories above downtown Manhattan, terrified.—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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The Hand & The Eye likely will open with little in the way of advance reservations, a situation that would terrify most producers of live entertainment.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Hungary is a major importer of Russian energy and the sanctions would have impacted the country's already weakening economy.—
Hannah Demissie,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
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But instead, the resolution was further weakened to eliminate any reference to Security Council authorization — which is an order for action — and limit its provisions to the Strait of Hormuz.—
Greg Norman-Diamond,
FOXNews.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The coyote grabbed the boy and took him to the ground before a nearby adult rushed over and scared the animal away.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
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That didn’t scare off the Mets, who signed him to a two-year deal in December and invited him to spring training.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paralyze.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralyze. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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