paralyzed
adjective
par·a·lyzed
ˈper-ə-ˌlīzd
ˈpa-rə-
1
: affected with paralysis
… a viral infection that paralyzed half her face and impaired her balance, hearing, and eyesight …—Golf
If the right hemisphere of the brain is badly damaged in its sensory (parietal) areas, patients may show … an unawareness that anything is the matter, even though the left side of their body is senseless or paralyzed.—Oliver Sacks
Thousands of paralyzed people worldwide are in the socially closed-off state.—Christen Brownlee
2
: rendered incapable of movement or action
I was not found by the teacher until what seemed to me hours later but was probably five minutes, paralyzed with fright.—Kay Boyle
Those who uncover plagiarism become paralyzed with embarrassment, letting the culprit escape rather than confronting him.—Walter Kendrick
Cite this Entry
“Paralyzed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paralyzed. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
