1
as in to cripple
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move
a blizzard paralyzed the city for two days
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of paralyze
The widespread arrests have paralyzed parts of the city where high numbers of immigrants work, such as the Flower District downtown.
—
Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2025
The toe-biter’s venom first paralyzes its prey and then dissolves its insides.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2025
The violence is paralyzing Port-au-Prince, now up to 90% under gang control, and is quickly spreading to other regions of Haiti.
—Miami Herald, 7 July 2025
Frigid temperatures and nearly 40 hours of constant snowfall — including 24 hours of blizzard conditions — paralyzed the city’s means of travel by land and by air, and caused waves from Lake Michigan to lash at the shore.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for paralyze
Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2025
The toe-biter’s venom first paralyzes its prey and then dissolves its insides.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2025
The violence is paralyzing Port-au-Prince, now up to 90% under gang control, and is quickly spreading to other regions of Haiti.
—Miami Herald, 7 July 2025
Frigid temperatures and nearly 40 hours of constant snowfall — including 24 hours of blizzard conditions — paralyzed the city’s means of travel by land and by air, and caused waves from Lake Michigan to lash at the shore.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 7 July 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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Goalkeepers can intimidate strikers into poor shooting decisions with a good stare-down.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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Cycling shoes can be intimidating—particularly the idea of wearing something that locks your feet right to your bike’s pedals.—
Jennifer Heimlich,
SELF,
23 July 2025
Verb
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These effects leave both adults and children highly vulnerable: even experienced swimmers can quickly be incapacitated.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 July 2025
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The blackout incapacitated banks, mobile networks, and e-government services, crippling the country’s core systems.—
Sindhya Valloppillil,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
Verb
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Stink bugs tend to drop when frightened, so fill a cup with soapy water and hold it under the stink bug.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
19 July 2025
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What starts as a simple favor to keep her great-niece turns into a wild Halloween night filled with jump scares and pranks — but as usual, nothing frightens her more than bad manners and disrespect. Boo 2!—
Jane LaCroix,
People.com,
13 July 2025
Verb
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Avoid Common Mistakes Despite the benefits of catch-up contributions, many individuals make avoidable errors that undermine their effectiveness.—
True Tamplin,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
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The firing of a career public servant, lawfully appointed by the court, is another blatant attempt to intimidate anyone that doesn't agree with them and undermine judicial independence.—
Matthew Robinson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 July 2025
Verb
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The trauma of the killings left her terrified to close her eyes and sleeping in her mom’s bed for reassurance no one would harm her.—
Rachel Roberts,
Idaho Statesman,
24 July 2025
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Chuck Schumer is terrified, but that's the reality of where Democrats are today.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
Verb
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This weakens their ability to educate, create, and grow.—
Miguel Cardona,
Time,
21 July 2025
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This could help verify recent findings from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) that suggest this strange force is actually weakening over time.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
20 July 2025
Verb
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There’s a thread of carbolic soap, though not enough to scare away those even moderately familiar with smoky Islay Scotch.—
David Thomas Tao,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
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Officials used horns, sirens and lights to scare the dogs away from Culbertson, according to KC Pet Project documents obtained by The Star.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee,
Kansas City Star,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Paralyze.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralyze. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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