paralyze
verb
par·a·lyze
ˈper-ə-ˌlīz 
ˈpa-rə-
paralyzed; paralyzing
1
: to affect with paralysis
The snake's venom paralyzed the mouse.
2
: to make powerless or ineffective
A strike would paralyze the industry.
3
: unnerve
the paralyzing thing is the uncertainty—
Evelyn Whitehead
Evelyn WhiteheadSynonyms
Examples of paralyze in a Sentence
The snake's venom paralyzed the mouse.
The air strikes have paralyzed the city's transportation system.
The company was paralyzed by debt.
Recent Examples on the Web
That’s a huge omission because consensus decision-making has paralyzed the talks, said Erin Simon, an expert on plastics and packaging at the World Wildlife Fund.
—Jennifer McDermott, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2024
In a 2012 study published in the journal Nature, two people paralyzed due to stroke were able to guide a robotic arm to reach and grasp objects simply by thinking about it.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 25 Nov. 2024
The gothic thriller focuses on the hidden life of Verity Crawford, a famous author paralyzed in a car crash.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 21 Nov. 2024
The activists were accused by prosecutors of plotting to paralyze the government by engaging in potentially disruptive acts had they been elected.
—James Pomfret and Jessie Pang, USA TODAY, 19 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for paralyze 
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Jennifer McDermott, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2024
In a 2012 study published in the journal Nature, two people paralyzed due to stroke were able to guide a robotic arm to reach and grasp objects simply by thinking about it.
—Emily Mullin, WIRED, 25 Nov. 2024
The gothic thriller focuses on the hidden life of Verity Crawford, a famous author paralyzed in a car crash.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 21 Nov. 2024
The activists were accused by prosecutors of plotting to paralyze the government by engaging in potentially disruptive acts had they been elected.
—James Pomfret and Jessie Pang, USA TODAY, 19 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for paralyze
Dictionary Entries Near paralyze
Cite this Entry
“Paralyze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paralyze. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
paralyze
verb
par·a·lyze
ˈpar-ə-ˌlīz
paralyzed; paralyzing
1
: to affect with paralysis
2
: to make powerless or unable to act, function, or move
Medical Definition
paralyze
transitive verb
par·a·lyze
variants
or British paralyse
paralyzed or British paralysed; paralyzing or British paralysing
: to affect with paralysis
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