paralyze

1 of 2

verb

par·​a·​lyze ˈper-ə-ˌlīz How to pronounce paralyze (audio)
ˈpa-rə-
paralyzed; paralyzing
Synonyms of paralyzenext

transitive verb

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
4
: stun, stupefy
I would paralyze the empire with the news!—Rudyard Kipling
5
: to bring to an end : prevent, destroy
… deadlock paralyzed action.—F. A. Ogg and Harold Zink
paralyzation
ˌper-ə-lə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce paralyze (audio)
ˌpa-rə-
noun
paralyzer
ˈper-ə-ˌlī-zər How to pronounce paralyze (audio)
ˈpa-rə-
noun
paralyzingly
ˈper-ə-ˌlī-ziŋ-lē How to pronounce paralyze (audio)
ˈpa-rə
adverb

paralyzation

2 of 2

noun

par·​a·​ly·​za·​tion ˌparələ̇ˈzāshən How to pronounce paralyzation (audio)
-ˌlīˈz-
plural -s
: paralyzed state
the paralyzation of the forces of law and order
also : the act or process of paralyzing

Synonyms of paralyze

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Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of paralyze in a Sentence

Verb 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
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Verb
That summer, Detroit was paralyzed by a violent uprising, which erupted after the city’s predominantly white police force raided a night club in a Black neighborhood. — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 21 Aug. 2026 Of course, Poke Ichii has some prefab choices if you’re paralyzed by the excess of options, and there are some sides to choose from, including Spam musubi, takoyaki and mochi ice cream for dessert. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Clancy jumped out a window after strangling the children to death and was paralyzed in the fall. — Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026 Coronel Suarez was one of several SAP gang members who have pleaded guilty to shootings that targeted rivals and gang dropouts, and left victims dead or paralyzed. — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for paralyze

Word History

Etymology

Verb

French paralyser, back-formation from paralysie paralysis, from Latin paralysis

First Known Use

Verb

1763, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of paralyze was in 1763

Rhymes for paralyze

See All Rhymes for paralyze

Browse Nearby Words

paralyzation
paralyze
paralyzed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Paralyze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paralyze. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

paralyze

verb
par·​a·​lyze ˈpar-ə-ˌlīz How to pronounce paralyze (audio)
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
ˈpar-ə-ˌlīz How to pronounce paralyze (audio)
paralyzed or British paralysed; paralyzing or British paralysing
: to affect with paralysis
paralyzation noun
or British paralysation
ˌpar-ə-lə-ˈzā-shən How to pronounce paralyze (audio)

More from Merriam-Webster on paralyze

Nglish: Translation of paralyze for Spanish Speakers

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