1
as in crippling
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 frightening
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 paralyzing
Discipline without optimism is paralyzing.
—
Big Think, 7 Oct. 2025
Shortly after Henry’s death, Augusta suffered two paralyzing strokes, intensifying her and Ed’s isolated, co-dependent relationship before her death in 1945.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
The pressure Alex, who is endowed by Martin with endearing softness and paralyzing self-doubt, feels to be a brave cop, a strong father, and the righteous hero of this story can’t be separated from his experience as a trans man still honing his relationship to masculinity.
—Judy Berman, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
By contrast, maybe such language engenders a sense of defeatism, a belief in the inevitability of collapse which is collectively paralyzing.
—Ed Simon
september 24, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025
This can range from occasional nerves and shyness to paralyzing fears of social situations and people.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 23 Sep. 2025
My anxiety about all this was paralyzing me.
—Zadie Smith, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Another flashback, this time in the immediate aftermath of Vince daring a drunken employee to jump from the roof to a neighboring fire escape, paralyzing the man and leaving the Rabbit to pay out half a million dollars.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
Audience members don't have to work very hard to imagine the paralyzing terror that King Hang's character feels.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Big Think, 7 Oct. 2025
Shortly after Henry’s death, Augusta suffered two paralyzing strokes, intensifying her and Ed’s isolated, co-dependent relationship before her death in 1945.
—Andrew McGowan, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
The pressure Alex, who is endowed by Martin with endearing softness and paralyzing self-doubt, feels to be a brave cop, a strong father, and the righteous hero of this story can’t be separated from his experience as a trans man still honing his relationship to masculinity.
—Judy Berman, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
By contrast, maybe such language engenders a sense of defeatism, a belief in the inevitability of collapse which is collectively paralyzing.
—Ed Simon
september 24, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025
This can range from occasional nerves and shyness to paralyzing fears of social situations and people.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 23 Sep. 2025
My anxiety about all this was paralyzing me.
—Zadie Smith, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Another flashback, this time in the immediate aftermath of Vince daring a drunken employee to jump from the roof to a neighboring fire escape, paralyzing the man and leaving the Rabbit to pay out half a million dollars.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2025
Audience members don't have to work very hard to imagine the paralyzing terror that King Hang's character feels.
—Jim Higgins, jsonline.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paralyzing
Verb
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On December 7, 1941, 353 Japanese aircraft attacked Pearl Harbor, killing 2,403 Americans and crippling much of the Pacific Fleet.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Perreira agrees that the financial imbalance in the game is crippling West Indies.—
Paul Newman,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Kids will love sending this Dilophosaurus sauntering across the floor, frightening everything and everyone in his path.—
Pamela Brill,
Parents,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Instances of swatting have been plaguing the nation for years, with fake shooting threats frightening the public and forcing schools, hospitals, grocery stores, office buildings, and airports into temporary lockdowns.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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He is accused of slipping incapacitating drugs into victims’ food or drinks before assaulting them between 2021 and 2024.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
16 Oct. 2025
-
While the name suggests something far more trivial, significant damage to the ligaments of the metatarsophalangeal joint can be incapacitating.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The game is twisted, disturbing, and terrifying in all the right ways.—
Zackery Cuevas,
PC Magazine,
23 Sep. 2025
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On the same day, 100 cyclists, e-bike and dirt bike riders took over a Boston highway, terrifying local drivers.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Age proved to be a crucial issue ahead of the 2024 presidential election, undermining former President Joe Biden's bid for reelection as political rivals and many voters expressed concerns over his health and his fitness for office.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Trump has a recent history of stirring the pot, undermining the diplomatic victories Bessent and Greer secured with China.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Jays’ bullpen allowed only two runs in five innings in Game 1, but is hardly intimidating.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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While potentially an intimidating shoe to some consumers, Hosk demonstrated how the statement boots can be styled.—
Jaden Thompson,
Footwear News,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Given the disease’s wide range of trajectories and manifestations—from mild and manageable to severely disabling—some now regard it as a group of diseases, rather than a single one.—
Lucinda Rosenfeld,
New Yorker,
25 Oct. 2025
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It is associated with hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior that impair daily functioning and can be disabling.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The government must refinance without scaring off investors or triggering default.—
Arick Wierson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Oct. 2025
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Playing on parental fears, The Babadook has been scaring the daylights out of us for a solid decade now.—
Gwen Ihnat,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Paralyzing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralyzing. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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