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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of paralyze
Jones was admitted into the ICU after a rare disease diagnosis left her temporarily paralyzed.
—
Brad Quick, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026
The city was hit by a massive snowstorm that paralyzed its streets along with the uncovering of a $30 million to $40 million structural budget gap.
—Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
The inward-looking nature of the melancholy Dane — conflicted and cocooned in his thoughts, paralyzed by his own intelligence, while the world constantly reflects back to him his own psychological predicament — feels oddly suited for our solipsistic times.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
In 2024, a student was shot and left paralyzed by another teenager's father in Kansas while playing the game.
—Kate Perez, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paralyze
Brad Quick, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026
The city was hit by a massive snowstorm that paralyzed its streets along with the uncovering of a $30 million to $40 million structural budget gap.
—Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
The inward-looking nature of the melancholy Dane — conflicted and cocooned in his thoughts, paralyzed by his own intelligence, while the world constantly reflects back to him his own psychological predicament — feels oddly suited for our solipsistic times.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
In 2024, a student was shot and left paralyzed by another teenager's father in Kansas while playing the game.
—Kate Perez, USA Today, 14 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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Several critics said the legislation introduces too many unknowns, adding that with the artificial intelligence legislation also under consideration, Connecticut is moving towards regulations that could frighten companies looking to grow in the state.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
24 Apr. 2026
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Lee Cronin was both flattered and frightened when Jason Blum suggested titling his The Mummy reimagining as Lee Cronin’s The Mummy.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
20 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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Plus, nobody will careen past you at 110 mph, scaring you spitless.—
Allen Best,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
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If the bear gets closer, shout and act aggressively to scare it off.—
Devarrick Turner,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paralyze.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralyze. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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