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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Example Sentences
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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
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That has crippled Iran’s two biggest non-oil exports, and higher prices have affected everything from plastics to pipes, to fabrics and packaging for groceries like milk, butter and cheese.—
Amir-Hussein Radjy,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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That has crippled Iran’s two biggest non-oil exports, and higher prices have affected everything from plastics to pipes, to fabrics and packaging for groceries like milk, butter and cheese.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Any passenger who assaults, threatens, intimidates or interferes with airline crew members can lead to penalties of up to $43,658 per violation, according to the FAA.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
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The motion also argued that Chris Gerodemos was a present danger to extortion Victim #2 and his entire family, if released, and a substantial risk to threaten, injure, or intimidate a prospective witness.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Louisiana sued to restrict access to mifepristone, asserting that its availability undermined the ban there.—
Mark Sherman,
Twin Cities,
4 May 2026
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The Productivity Paradox The cruel irony of America’s sleep deficit is that overwork undermines the output it’s meant to produce.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
4 May 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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The deeper the rifts between the United States and Europe over Iran, the greater the chances of weakening the NATO alliance.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
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During his appearances on Capitol Hill this month, Secretary Kennendy was grilled about the administration's defense of the pesticide industry and weakening of protections against mercury pollution, another issue that Kennedy had worked on as an advocate.—
Will Stone,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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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 11 May. 2026.
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