paralyzed 1 of 2

adjective

ˈper-ə-ˌlīzd How to pronounce paralyzed (audio)
Definition of paralyzednext
1
as in disabled
affected with paralysis special ramps for paralyzed people in wheelchairs

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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

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paralyzed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of paralyze
1
as in crippled
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move a blizzard paralyzed the city for two days

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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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of paralyzed
Adjective
The injuries left her paralyzed from the waist down after jumping from a second-story window. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026 But Congress appears paralyzed and its leaders unfamiliar with what they’re supposed to be regulating. — Matt Post, Baltimore Sun, 1 Oct. 2026 During the hearing, Reddington also raised concerns about the prosecution’s case and the police investigation launched after Clancy was found in the backyard suffering from injuries that left her paralyzed. — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026 The story follows Lowen Ashleigh, played by Johnson, who is hired to ghostwrite author Verity Crawford’s, played by Hathaway, book following an accident that leaves her paralyzed. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for paralyzed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paralyzed
  1. disabled
  2. helpless
  3. crippled
  4. frightened
  5. paralytic
  6. weak
  7. incapacitated
  8. terrified
Adjective
  • The movie offered a sly critique of Korea’s rapid urbanization, and introduced the wayward types (bar girls, severely disabled men) that would populate all of Lee’s films.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The closure is part of a project to improve access for disabled visitors and replace the library’s heating and air conditioning system.
    — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of disabled
Adjective
  • The moment when the couple’s infant child is taken from them by the authorities is devastating, each of them capturing a sense of helpless isolation from themselves, their community and each other.
    — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • But the funding cuts mean more and more families like Zarmina's are left helpless.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of helpless
Verb
  • He is crippled by doubt, convinced that others are gaining on him.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The long nightmare might be over for South African producers, whose industry has been crippled for more than two years by the paralysis of a rebate program that for all intents and purposes had ceased to function.
    — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of crippled
Verb
  • Douglas admitted that his father’s behavior left him and brother Joel frightened.
    — Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • At the very start of the pandemic, while most Americans were hunkered down, frightened for their lives and worried about job loss, RealPage hosted a virtual pep talk for landlords.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of frightened
Adjective
  • The protocol involved an administration of an anesthetic, sodium thiopental, followed by pancuronium bromide, a paralytic agent, and finally by potassium chloride to stop the heart, all in much higher doses than they’re typically used.
    — Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Asbille plays a grieving woman injected with a paralytic drug who must then run, hide and fight her would-be killer before her body shuts down.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of paralytic
Adjective
  • Studies have shown that countries with stronger IP systems tend to be more innovative, while weaker IP systems may stifle innovation.
    — Andrei Iancu, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Are scientists hindered by a weak grasp of the physics driving GRBs?
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of weak
Verb
  • The Vatican has no specific rules on how the leadership of the Catholic Church is transferred should the pope be incapacitated.
    — Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Medical advances and popes’ longer lifespans, however, have highlighted this gap in church law and prompted calls for the Vatican to prepare for a pope becoming too ill or incapacitated to govern.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of incapacitated
Verb
  • Afterward, the boy was terrified of the police, said his mother, Colette James.
    — Rosie Cima, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • By this point, the audience knows the monster a little too well to be properly terrified of her.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of terrified

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Cite this Entry

“Paralyzed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralyzed. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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