1
as in disabled
affected with paralysis
special ramps for paralyzed people in wheelchairs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
a seemingly paralyzed mayor sat by as the city's crime rate soared
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in crippled
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move
a blizzard paralyzed the city for two days
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in frightened
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of paralyzed
Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
His cousin, 23-year-old Tatiana Villegas, was hit multiple times and is now paralyzed from the chest down.
—Christina Coulter, People.com, 19 June 2025
Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2025
Garrett, who was paralyzed as a result of the crash, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, fleeing to elude high speed (serious bodily injury or death), battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence and criminal mischief.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paralyzed
Adjective
For 48 hours, Woodhouse couldn't even wiggle a toe and was completely paralyzed on the right side.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
His cousin, 23-year-old Tatiana Villegas, was hit multiple times and is now paralyzed from the chest down.
—Christina Coulter, People.com, 19 June 2025
Verb
The daughter, Georgette Smith, was paralyzed in the shooting and died after winning a court order to remove her ventilator.
—Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2025
Garrett, who was paralyzed as a result of the crash, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, fleeing to elude high speed (serious bodily injury or death), battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence and criminal mischief.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paralyzed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paralyzed
Adjective
-
Screenshots from a July 23 TikTok video of a disabled cat managing to get onto his owner's bed without any assistance.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 July 2025
-
Social Security provides monthly benefit checks to more than 70 million Americans, including retirees, disabled individuals and families.—
Lorie Konish,
CNBC,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
When employees bring problems to their leaders, a dangerous dynamic often emerges, one that turns capable professionals into helpless children and transforms managers into overbearing parents.—
Mark Murphy,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
-
For the first time in his life, the great shark couldn’t swim freely and, panic-stricken, bolted clear of his world and there was only emptiness, and his tail and pectoral fins were helpless in the void.—
Pat Smith,
Outdoor Life,
24 July 2025
Verb
-
His vengeance included turning Michigan State in for NCAA violations, leading to probation that crippled the program until the late 1970s.—
Joe Rexrode,
The Athletic,
31 Dec. 2024
-
As the city litigated and revised the environmental impact report, two devastating storms in December 2023 and February 2024 — the same series that crippled San Diego’s Ocean Beach Pier — substantially damaged the wharf.—
Noah Haggerty,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The paralytic drug takes 20 minutes to activate and an hour to wear off.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes,
28 Oct. 2024
-
One primary way is to use the chip to restore function to those with paralytic conditions; the chip seeks to relay patients’ brain signals to control computer systems and robotic arms.—
Forbes.com,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
This downward movement was attributed to both weak job figures and a new round of U.S. tariffs announced by Trump.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Aug. 2025
-
Last month and August 2024 also saw a weak start, so this comes as no surprise.—
Billy Bambrough,
Forbes.com,
2 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Hours before that performance, as Ivy has a diva moment and Karen is incapacitated in a reformatting of the series’ poisoning plot line, Bombshell’s assistant director, Chloe (Bella Coppola), suddenly has to step up to play Marilyn, winning the love of the internet.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Successful organizing includes documenting evidence of government abuses, sharing information broadly, and building administrative systems rather than relying on a few leaders who may be assassinated or otherwise incapacitated.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The movie sees the revival of arch-villain Feathers McGraw, who terrified kids in 1993’s The Wrong Trousers.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
23 Dec. 2024
-
My Hugo would chase it and bark at it, or he'd be terrified.—
Benedict Cosgrove,
Newsweek,
20 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Those at high-risk for listeria infection are newborns, those who are pregnant, have weakened immune systems, and those aged 65 or older.—
Mike Snider,
USA TODAY,
3 Jan. 2025
-
But the militants, while greatly weakened, have repeatedly regrouped, often after Israeli forces withdraw from areas.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Paralyzed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralyzed. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share