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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paralyzing
At the end of his first year as CEO, a blizzard known as Winter Storm Elliott triggered an operational meltdown, stranding thousands of Southwest customers at the height of the holiday season, paralyzing the company’s point-to-point network, and plunging the company into a profit-killing crisis.
—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 9 Jan. 2026
No matter the scenario, Victor portrays PTSD as a paralyzing force with accuracy and grace—an all-too-rare combination.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 29 Dec. 2025
Lock had previously pled guilty to fleeing police resulting in great bodily harm for paralyzing Anthony.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 11 Dec. 2025
That legal instability, combined with the slow pace of public funding, has created a paralyzing climate.
—Caio Delcolli, IndieWire, 26 Nov. 2025
The paralyzing blasts of electricity that an electric eel delivers arise from a sleeve of tissue that wraps around the animal’s body.
—Carl Zimmer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
And those victories, for now, have deepened the divide that is paralyzing Washington.
—ABC News, 9 Nov. 2025
In rare cases, the toxin can spread beyond the injection site to other parts of the body, paralyzing or weakening muscles needed for breathing and swallowing.
—CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
There are swift, serpentine vines dexterous enough to snatch Dek’s supplies; combustible little slugs that detonate like grenades when triggered; and exotic flowers that swell up and squirt paralyzing darts when something approaches.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 4 Nov. 2025
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 9 Jan. 2026
No matter the scenario, Victor portrays PTSD as a paralyzing force with accuracy and grace—an all-too-rare combination.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 29 Dec. 2025
Lock had previously pled guilty to fleeing police resulting in great bodily harm for paralyzing Anthony.
—David Clarey, jsonline.com, 11 Dec. 2025
That legal instability, combined with the slow pace of public funding, has created a paralyzing climate.
—Caio Delcolli, IndieWire, 26 Nov. 2025
The paralyzing blasts of electricity that an electric eel delivers arise from a sleeve of tissue that wraps around the animal’s body.
—Carl Zimmer, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
And those victories, for now, have deepened the divide that is paralyzing Washington.
—ABC News, 9 Nov. 2025
In rare cases, the toxin can spread beyond the injection site to other parts of the body, paralyzing or weakening muscles needed for breathing and swallowing.
—CNN Money, 6 Nov. 2025
There are swift, serpentine vines dexterous enough to snatch Dek’s supplies; combustible little slugs that detonate like grenades when triggered; and exotic flowers that swell up and squirt paralyzing darts when something approaches.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 4 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paralyzing
Verb
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Since then, they've been forced to work remotely — at a time when the government was doling out return-to-office mandates — preventing access to labs and crippling the center's mission of embedding NASA climate scientists within international academia.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
31 Oct. 2025
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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
Verb
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But monks there complained that the slain king was walking around at night, frightening them with strange sounds.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
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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
Verb
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The only way to repair the rift and deal with the incapacitating grief is through art.—
James Shapiro,
The Atlantic,
1 Dec. 2025
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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
Verb
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That’s terrifying on a whole different level.—
Will Harris,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Jan. 2026
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At another level, there does seem to be something absurd and even terrifying about the idea that someone who is not elected can become the leader of a country and then will be recognized as the leader of that country and receive the immunities afforded to heads of state.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Defense attorney Leah Gillis countered that sequestering jurors would chill candid discussion and signal that open conversations about bias are not tolerated, undermining the goal of an impartial jury.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
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Saudi Arabia has publicly accused the United Arab Emirates – a fellow Gulf Arab state and former partner in the Yemen war – of undermining its national security, an unusually blunt charge that exposes a rift long kept behind closed doors.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Indeed, one of General George Washington’s greatest achievements was to avoid being cornered and forced to capitulate to these intimidating legions in the war’s early years.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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Tips for Making Coconut Cake Layer cakes can be intimidating for hobby bakers.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The suit seeks compensation, noting that Dinkins has suffered permanent, disabling injuries that will limit his future earning capacity.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Jan. 2026
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The dark or shadow fleet is a clandestine network of older oil tankers working with sanctioned nations, such as Iran and Russia, that conceal their oil trips by disabling tracking, using fake identities, and other tactics.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
17 Dec. 2025
Verb
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After scaring off the animal, one of the hikers, a physician, attempted to revive Kovatch, but did not find a pulse.—
Outside,
Outside,
6 Jan. 2026
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Talk openly about world events—without scaring them Even young children absorb bits of information about conflict, violence, and disaster—whether through classmates, TV in a waiting room, or overheard adult conversations.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Parents,
31 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Paralyzing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralyzing. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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