1
as in disabled
affected with paralysis
special ramps for paralyzed people in wheelchairs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
a seemingly paralyzed mayor sat by as the city's crime rate soared
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in crippled
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move
a blizzard paralyzed the city for two days
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in frightened
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 paralyzed
Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026
Cubans face national blackouts, fuel shortages, and paralyzed hospitals after five years of economic crisis worsened by the oil embargo.
—Cristiana Mesquita, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
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 paralyzed
Adjective
In May 2023, the author suffered a rare spinal stroke that left him paralyzed from the waist down.
—Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026
Cubans face national blackouts, fuel shortages, and paralyzed hospitals after five years of economic crisis worsened by the oil embargo.
—Cristiana Mesquita, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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 paralyzed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paralyzed
Adjective
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For instance, Medicare, which is the insurance program for older adults 65 and older in the United States and some disabled people is starting to negotiate the price of drugs for their populations.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Joglar Burrowes, who is disabled, said thousands of families had been waiting a long time for the solar systems and shouldn’t be forgotten.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The show’s name referred to their self-identification as helpless babies overwhelmed by the pressures of modernity, comforted only by coating themselves in fancy serums and moisturizers to recreate the peaceful, placental insulation of the womb.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Apr. 2026
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Then there’s the title character, who at first impression could be a helpless goldfish just waiting for any one of these alley cats to knock over her bowl and swallow her tail and all.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The war crippled supply in the region due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the sudden danger in shipping oil, among other factors.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2026
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When Lehman ran, McIntyre shot him three times – in the nose, the leg, which effectively crippled him, reducing him to a crawl, and in the back.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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The marsupial escaped from Sunshine Farm in Necedah, a village about 90 miles away from Madison, on March 25, after being frightened by barking dogs, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Health officials identified a paralytic polio case in 2022 in an unvaccinated adult in New York.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
11 Mar. 2026
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The paralytic effect typically lasts for four to six minutes.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Small hail is possible, and an isolated weak/brief tornado can't be ruled out.—
Mary Ours,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
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Sean McMorris, transparency, ethics and accountability program manager with California Common Cause, a nonpartisan government watchdog, said in an email Friday that heavy reliance on outside vendors can increase the risk of fraud or mismanagement if oversight is weak.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily 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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Cosby’s accuser was a waitress who said she was left incapacitated by pills and wine after attending one of the comic’s shows in Los Angeles.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
10 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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No matter who was in charge, the Miami Dolphins franchise have been terrified of quarterback competition for nearly two decades, and that might explain why South Florida’s NFL franchise hasn’t won a playoff game in 25 years.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paralyzed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralyzed. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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