Synonyms of paralyze

paralyze 1 of 2

verb (1)

ˈper-ə-ˌlīz 

1

as in to cripple

to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move

a blizzard paralyzed the city for two days

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cripple
• incapacitate
• undermine
• weaken
• immobilize
• disable
• hamstring
• undercut
• attenuate
• debilitate
• prostrate
• sap
• maim
• enfeeble
• mutilate
• hobble
• enervate
• tire
• knock out
• lame

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• energize
• galvanize
• invigorate
• vitalize
• strengthen
• fortify
• empower
• restore
• revive
• revitalize
• rejuvenate
• regenerate
• refresh
• freshen
• refreshen

2

as in to intimidate

to deprive of courage or confidence

the school board is paralyzed by the threat of lawsuits for just about everything

Synonyms & Similar Words

• intimidate
• frighten
• terrify
• scare
• emasculate
• unnerve
• demoralize
• unsettle
• undo
• debilitate
• unman
• weaken
• waste
• terrorize
• discourage
• disturb
• enfeeble
• enervate
• soften
• unstring
• sap
• neuter
• daunt
• dishearten
• upset
• dispirit
• unbalance
• unhinge
• perturb
• psych (out)
• derange
• tire
• dismay
• faze
• prostrate
• disquiet
• craze
• discompose
• madden
• weird out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• nerve
• strengthen
• encourage
• fortify
• embolden
• hearten

paralyzing

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of paralyze

1

as in crippling

to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move

a blizzard paralyzed the city for two days

Synonyms & Similar Words

• crippling
• incapacitating
• undermining
• disabling
• weakening
• immobilizing
• debilitating
• hamstringing
• undercutting
• sapping
• attenuating
• enervating
• prostrating
• tiring
• enfeebling
• mutilating
• maiming
• hobbling
• laming
• knocking out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• energizing
• galvanizing
• invigorating
• vitalizing
• strengthening
• empowering
• fortifying
• restoring
• reviving
• revitalizing
• rejuvenating
• regenerating
• refreshing
• freshening
• refreshening

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

• frightening
• terrifying
• intimidating
• scaring
• unnerving
• emasculating
• demoralizing
• unsettling
• debilitating
• undoing
• wasting
• weakening
• unmanning
• discouraging
• enervating
• enfeebling
• sapping
• disturbing
• terrorizing
• unstringing
• softening
• upsetting
• daunting
• neutering
• tiring
• disheartening
• dispiriting
• unbalancing
• maddening
• disquieting
• dismaying
• perturbing
• deranging
• unhinging
• psyching (out)
• prostrating
• crazing
• fazing
• discomposing
• weirding out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• strengthening
• nerving
• fortifying
• encouraging
• emboldening
• heartening

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of paralyze

Verb

The accident fractured her spine and left her paralyzed from the waist down, according to the family. —Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 7 May 2025

Normand Meunier, from Quebec, was working as a truck driver before a spinal cord injury in 2022 left his arms and legs paralyzed. —Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 7 May 2025

Verb

His administration’s trade policy has also been marked by flip-flopping and delays, with the resulting uncertainty paralyzing businesses, which are unsure whether to hire and invest. —Olesya Dmitracova, CNN, 14 Mar. 2025

That can have the effect of paralyzing the Fed, preventing officials from moving interest rates higher or lower. —Matt Egan, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025