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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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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That’s left them vulnerable to a crisis that could crash the AI boom, destroy the S&P 500, and cripple the US economy.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
14 Apr. 2026
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The demolition of Golden Hall would cripple the central plant and sever the connection between the plant and the other buildings, according to the implementation report and preliminary work done by engineering consultancy WSP.—
Jennifer Van Grove,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 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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In February 2025, a hiker became severely hypothermic near the summit of Vermont’s Mount Equinox during a winter storm, incapacitated with a dying phone battery.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 2026
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One of four passengers in Bain’s car, 22-year-old Destiny Betts, suffered incapacitating injuries and was transported to the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial from the scene, according to the report.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
13 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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The reason this feels so different to teachers than the tech panics of the past is that there is no clear solution to how AI is undermining nearly every aspect of education.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
13 Apr. 2026
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The cost of maintaining death row prisoners and a number of botched executions in recent years—lethal injections or gas administrations that take far too long to work, for example—have also undermined confidence.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
13 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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Sinlaku is forecast to continue weakening through the next few days, the National Weather Service said, passing west of the islands of Alamagan, Pagan and Agrihan through the latter half of the week.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
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Some target the bacterial cell wall, weakening it until the cell breaks apart and dies.—
Panteha Torabian,
The Conversation,
14 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 20 Apr. 2026.
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