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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paralyzed
Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 28 Apr. 2026
Now at 21, Lucy’s family is helping her rebuild after the spinal stroke left her paralyzed from the neck down.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Ned’s father, Bob Hunt, visited the hospital that night to check on English and heard the news he was paralyzed from the neck down.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paralyzed
Adjective
Struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson) is offered the opportunity of a lifetime when Jeremy Crawford (Josh Hartnett), the husband of paralyzed novelist Verity Crawford (Anne Hathaway), invites her to finish Verity’s series of novels.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 28 Apr. 2026
Now at 21, Lucy’s family is helping her rebuild after the spinal stroke left her paralyzed from the neck down.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
The violence has paralyzed traffic and commerce in the area, with major employers unable to operate.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026
Ned’s father, Bob Hunt, visited the hospital that night to check on English and heard the news he was paralyzed from the neck down.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paralyzed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paralyzed
Adjective
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Singh said the man lived alone with his disabled son, who required round-the-clock care and supervision.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
-
More than 4,100 Miami-Dade residents, all of whom are formerly homeless and disabled, live in permanent housing units paid for by the program.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
Adjective
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Sure, Cignetti wants to beat the s— out of every opponent, especially helpless Purdue.—
Jason Kirk,
New York Times,
5 May 2026
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Punk appeared helpless as Reigns picked him up.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That has crippled Iran’s two biggest non-oil exports, and higher prices have affected everything from plastics to pipes, to fabrics and packaging for groceries like milk, butter and cheese.—
Amir-Hussein Radjy,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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That has crippled Iran’s two biggest non-oil exports, and higher prices have affected everything from plastics to pipes, to fabrics and packaging for groceries like milk, butter and cheese.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Lord in your convent frightened me, Jesus with his bloody palms and gaping mouth, eyes rolled back in terror.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 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
Adjective
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He was injected with the three-drug mix of an anesthetic, a paralytic and potassium acetate, which stops the heart.—
Robert McGreevy,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
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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
Adjective
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Meanwhile, the rest of the NBA is widely expected to be more competitive next season — from the bottom tier, where anti-tanking regulations and a weaker draft class should curb teams’ intentional losing, to the upper echelons, where Oklahoma City and San Antonio stand tall.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
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Conditions change quickly, signals conflict with each other, and weak assumptions tend to get exposed without much delay.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Norman Hunter, 48, of Dolton, also was struck by a car while incapacitated, the medical examiner’s office said.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
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The film, starring Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson and slated to hit theaters October 2, follows Lowen Ashleigh (Johnson), a struggling writer who is hired to complete a successful book series after its author, Verity Crawford (Hathaway), is incapacitated.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
27 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 11 May. 2026.
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