paralyze

verb par·a·lyze \ ˈper-ə-ˌlīz , ˈpa-rə- \

Updated on: 5 Dec 2017

Definition of paralyze

paralyzed; paralyzing

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 parlyzing thing is the uncertainty
—Evelyn Whitehead

4 : stun, stupefy

She sat paralyzed when she heard the news.

5 : to bring to an end : prevent, destroy

deadlock paralyzed action
—F. A. Ogg & Harold Zink

—

paralyzation

play \ˌper-ə-lə-ˈzā-shən, ˌpa-rə-\ noun

—

paralyzer

play \ˈper-ə-ˌlī-zər, ˈpa-rə-\ noun

—

paralyzingly

play \ˈper-ə-ˌlī-ziŋ-lē, ˈpa-rə\ adverb

See paralyze defined for English-language learners

See paralyze defined for kids

Examples of paralyze in a Sentence

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 of paralyze from the Web

Now, their paralyzing debt crises have been compounded by a near-halt in commerce.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "Caribbean residents wonder: Should we go back?," 30 Sep. 2017
He was also involved as a mediator in the three-week strike that paralyzed France in 1995.

— mark deen, Bloomberg.com, "Toughest to Come for Macron on French Reform, Labor Expert Says," 24 Oct. 2017
Like Iran’s Aramco attacks, the North Korean attacks on South Korean targets used wiping malware to eradicate data and paralyze their business operations.

— david e. sanger, david d. kirkpatrick and nicole perlroth, New York Times, "The World Once Laughed at North Korean Cyberpower. No More.," 15 Oct. 2017
Friday’s game won’t paralyze anybody’s playoff hopes.

— kevin lonnquist, star-telegram, "What happened to the once-unbeatable Trinity and Carroll football teams?," 5 Oct. 2017
Also in preseason camp of sophomore year, his best friend, roommate and teammate was paralyzed from the neck down during a drill in practice, was hospitalized for 38 days and passed away on the eve of the first game.

— fletcher page, The Courier-Journal, "Celebrating Nate Northington, SEC's first black football player | Fletcher Page," 26 Sep. 2017
Tests administered over several days led to the conclusion that the boy was paralyzed in both legs.

— mark e. bruley, Philly.com, "Medical Mystery: Why was toddler left paralyzed by routine injection?," 15 Sep. 2017
He's paralyzed from the waist down and lives in New Jersey with his grandmother.

— erika butler, The Aegis, "40 years of stories from Aberdeen Fire Dept. volunteer," 30 Aug. 2017
Recent incidents reveal a far likelier scenario: paralyzed operations for countless businesses.

— brian e. finch, WSJ, "The Disturbing Inevitability of Cyberattacks," 21 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'paralyze.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of paralyze

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

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First Known Use: 1763

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paralyze Synonyms

Synonyms

cripple, disable, hamstring, immobilize, incapacitate, prostrate

Antonyms

nerve

Related Words

attenuate, debilitate, enervate, enfeeble, sap, tire, undercut, undermine, weaken; hobble, lame; maim, mutilate; knock out

Near Antonyms

energize, galvanize, invigorate, vitalize; fortify, strengthen; empower; freshen, refresh, refreshen, regenerate, rejuvenate, restore, revitalize, revive

PARALYZE Defined for English Language Learners

paralyze

verb

Definition of paralyze for English Language Learners

: to make (a person or animal) unable to move or feel all or part of the body
: to make (someone or something) unable to function, act, or move

PARALYZE Defined for Kids

paralyze

verb par·a·lyze \ ˈper-ə-ˌlīz \

Definition of paralyze for Students

paralyzed; paralyzing

1 : to cause to be unable to move all or part of the body The snake's venom paralyzed the mouse.

2 : to destroy or decrease something's energy or ability to act

The city was paralyzed by a heavy snowstorm.

Medical Dictionary

paralyze

transitive verb par·a·lyze

variants: or British paralyse play \ˈpar-ə-ˌlīz\

medical Definition of paralyze

paralyzed or British paralysed; paralyzing or British paralysing

: to affect with paralysis

—

paralyzation

or British paralysation play \ˌpar-ə-lə-ˈzā-shən\ noun

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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for paralyze Spanish Central: Translation of paralyze Nglish: Translation of paralyze for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of paralyze for Arabic speakers

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paralyze

Definition of paralyze

paralyzation

paralyzer

paralyzingly

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Examples of paralyze in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of paralyze

paralyze Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

PARALYZE Defined for English Language Learners

paralyze

Definition of paralyze for English Language Learners

PARALYZE Defined for Kids

paralyze

Definition of paralyze for Students

Medical Dictionary

paralyze

medical Definition of paralyze

paralyzation

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