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
Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
That 1952 outbreak killed some 3,000 people and left more than 20,000 paralyzed.
—Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Have joy, have fun, come together and do not be paralyzed by fear.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paralyzed
Adjective
The other deputy shot Cervantes, leaving him permanently paralyzed.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
That 1952 outbreak killed some 3,000 people and left more than 20,000 paralyzed.
—Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
But a winter storm paralyzed much of North Carolina on Saturday, forcing NASCAR’s season-opening Clash exhibition race to shift to Monday night (at least in the current best-case scenario).
—Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Have joy, have fun, come together and do not be paralyzed by fear.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paralyzed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paralyzed
Adjective
-
Daniel Kahle is disabled and couldn't afford to fix his Rancho Cordova home's 50-year-old wooden fence.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
There must be one seat/space per person, and licensed standing areas must not impact the viewing standards or other fans, including disabled supporters.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But nobody should be mad at CUSA, merely a helpless passenger.—
Jason Kirk,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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Wearing what’s possibly the most embarrassing bridal headdress in the history of nuptials, Suzanna looks even more helpless and hopeless.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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None of this will be shocking to anyone who’s lived in an American city crippled by disinvestment and self-dealing—or even to anyone who’s watched a David Simon show on HBO.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Measles is endemic in Somalia, where war and international aid cuts have crippled the medical system, and elsewhere in East Africa where residents here often travel.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Konstantin, 4, a sociable boy, is often frightened by loud noises and guards, his parents said.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
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This is no longer about ideology, this is about standing up for those who are being wrongly arrested, being unfairly harassed or being made to feel constantly frightened in their own homes.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The paralytic effect typically lasts for four to six minutes.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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As the New York Post reported, Malinda Cook, a nurse anesthetist at Virginia Commonwealth University Health, encouraged medical professionals to drug ICE agents with paralytic meds in a series of TikTok videos.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Bangladesh’s woes have not improved much since Hasina’s ouster, with high inflation and a weak taka currency combining to erode real incomes for ordinary households.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Pinterest posted disappointing fourth-quarter results and gave weak guidance for first-quarter sales.—
Liz Napolitano,Darla Mercado, CFP®,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Bhusri and Duffield’s agreement also means that if one of the cofounders is incapacitated or dies, the other gets control of both stakes.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
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In the first half of the Super Bowl against Cincinnati, Beckham suffered a complete ACL tear and was incapacitated.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But after that, the administration was terrified of losing Tang – Arkansas had been sniffing around – and in order to guarantee that the coach who had led a whopping 36 games in his lifetime wasn’t going anywhere, gave him a fresh new deal with a bunch more money.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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There are people here in this seven-on-seven who are s----ing themselves and terrified about what's to come.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paralyzed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralyzed. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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