1
as in to cripple
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 to intimidate
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 paralyze
Before the polio vaccine was developed, the virus killed or paralyzed nearly half a million people worldwide each year in the mid-20th century, according to the World Health Organization.
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Cheyenne Haslett, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2025
Prosecutors alleged Spann took over the reins of the West Side gang after he was shot and paralyzed in 1999, using murder to elevate the gang’s reputation for ruthlessness as well as his own street cred.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025
The Trump White House is moving to paralyze a bipartisan and independent watchdog agency that investigates national security activities that can intrude upon individual rights.
—Charlie Savage, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Its venom, potent enough to kill an elephant, is a cocktail of neurotoxins that can paralyze muscles and shut down vital systems in a matter of hours.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for paralyze 
Cheyenne Haslett, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2025
Prosecutors alleged Spann took over the reins of the West Side gang after he was shot and paralyzed in 1999, using murder to elevate the gang’s reputation for ruthlessness as well as his own street cred.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025
The Trump White House is moving to paralyze a bipartisan and independent watchdog agency that investigates national security activities that can intrude upon individual rights.
—Charlie Savage, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Its venom, potent enough to kill an elephant, is a cocktail of neurotoxins that can paralyze muscles and shut down vital systems in a matter of hours.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for paralyze
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paralyze
Verb
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About six weeks ago, hackers crippled the computer systems of the TV and mobile phone provider Dish Network.—
Shira Ovide,
Washington Post,
4 Apr. 2023
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Oakland Mills Coach: Chris Brewington Last season: Class 2A state champion Outlook: Losing the talent Oakland Mills did from last year’s outdoor season would cripple most programs, but the Scorpions have reloaded.—
Anthony Maluso,
Baltimore Sun,
22 Mar. 2023
Verb
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He's not intimidated by operating in the shadow of such giants.—
Mackensy Lunsford,
The Tennessean,
18 Feb. 2025
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Yeah, Larkin, 10 years older, sure wasn’t intimidated Saturday night.—
Michael Russo,
The Athletic,
16 Feb. 2025
Verb
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He was drugged before being taken back to his apartment by the defendants, who then robbed him of over $2,000 and left him lying incapacitated on his bed, according to prosecutors.—
Liam Quinn,
People.com,
10 Feb. 2025
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One punch by Harrison Ford's terrifying Red Hulk is enough to outright incapacitate Wilson for good.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
5 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Thousands of residents and visitors have left Santorini, frightened by the earthquakes measuring between magnitude 3 and magnitude 5 in the area since the weekend.—
Elena Becatoros,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2025
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President Trump did no one any favors and his irresponsible accusations were meant to confuse and spread an unfounded conspiracy while both trying to score political points as well as frighten the flying public needlessly.—
Michael B. Teiger,
Hartford Courant,
31 Jan. 2025
Verb
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This feels eerily similar to when Trump cut a deal with the Taliban while excluding the Afghan government—undermining their legitimacy and paving the way for disaster.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
17 Feb. 2025
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Those errors undermined one of the best afternoons of organisation that Wolves fans have witnessed from their team in a long time.—
Steve Madeley,
The Athletic,
16 Feb. 2025
Verb
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But Marcel arrived terrified, hiding in the bathroom and refusing to move or be touched.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
3 Feb. 2025
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Instead of a confetti bomb going off, someone turns on the fog/smoke machine, terrifying all of the little pups into relieving themselves everywhere in fear.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
Vulture,
3 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In the bond market, Treasury yields fell after a report said sales at U.S. retailers weakened by much more last month than economists expected.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2025
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His executive order, unless reversed by the courts, will encourage greater corruption in Latin America, hurting the region’s economies, weakening democratic institutions and making countries poorer.—
Andres Oppenheimer,
Miami Herald,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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His limited resume and the fact he’s spent more time in the box than on the edge also might scare teams, which means Walker’s potential draft range could be rather large.—
Nick Baumgardner,
The Athletic,
18 Feb. 2025
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That's one week after Borderlands 4 and just in time to scare everyone (hopefully) during the all-spooky Halloween season.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
13 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near paralyze
Cite this Entry
“Paralyze.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralyze. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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