paralyze
verb
par·a·lyze
ˈper-ə-ˌlīz 
ˈpa-rə-
paralyzed; paralyzing
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
Evelyn WhiteheadExamples 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 on the Web
Financial markets have crashed, consumers are frightened, and deals are paralyzed.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
When Gordon approached Rudolph to write and direct a music video for Teddy Pendergrass, who had recently been paralyzed in a car crash, Rudolph saw an opportunity.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2025
Oklahoma uses a lethal injection cocktail that contains three drugs, beginning with a sedative and following with a second drug to paralyze the inmate and a third to stop the heart.
—CBS News, 20 Mar. 2025
CarMax vehicle rampage left one paralyzed, records say.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paralyze
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Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Mar. 2025
When Gordon approached Rudolph to write and direct a music video for Teddy Pendergrass, who had recently been paralyzed in a car crash, Rudolph saw an opportunity.
—Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2025
Oklahoma uses a lethal injection cocktail that contains three drugs, beginning with a sedative and following with a second drug to paralyze the inmate and a third to stop the heart.
—CBS News, 20 Mar. 2025
CarMax vehicle rampage left one paralyzed, records say.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paralyze
Cite this Entry
“Paralyze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paralyze. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
paralyze
verb
par·a·lyze
ˈpar-ə-ˌlīz
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
paralyzed or British paralysed; paralyzing or British paralysing
: to affect with paralysis
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