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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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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Examples of paralyze in a Sentence
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Recent Examples on the Web
Many stores are shuttered; normal life is paralyzed.
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Rania Abouzeid, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
Meanwhile, a month of intra-cartel violence has nearly paralyzed Culiacán, capital of Sinaloa state and base of the Sinaloa cartel, the nation’s largest.
—Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2024
To avoid punishment for its violations, the United States has also paralyzed the existing system’s enforcement mechanism, thus risking the complete unraveling of the trading order.
—Kristen Hopewell, Foreign Affairs, 7 Oct. 2024
The western half of North Carolina, once held up as a haven from the worst impacts of climate change, has been paralyzed by floods.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for paralyze 
Rania Abouzeid, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
Meanwhile, a month of intra-cartel violence has nearly paralyzed Culiacán, capital of Sinaloa state and base of the Sinaloa cartel, the nation’s largest.
—Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2024
To avoid punishment for its violations, the United States has also paralyzed the existing system’s enforcement mechanism, thus risking the complete unraveling of the trading order.
—Kristen Hopewell, Foreign Affairs, 7 Oct. 2024
The western half of North Carolina, once held up as a haven from the worst impacts of climate change, has been paralyzed by floods.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 4 Oct. 2024
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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Other sites related to the voting process have also come under attack: The day after the 2020 election, police removed protesters from a vote-counting center in Detroit for disrupting the process and intimidating workers.Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 27 Oct. 2024
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Death Despite its intimidating name, the Death card isn’t always about a literal death.Valerie Mesa, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The police define an incapacitating injury as when someone must be carried or helped from the scene of a crash.David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2024
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After Woodrow Wilson suffered an incapacitating stroke, his wife, Edith, shielded him from scrutiny and assumed many of his daily responsibilities.Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 18 July 2024
Verb
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Uncertain futures Another striking number from the study was that over three-fourths of respondents said the future frightened them, and the majority said their concerns are affecting their life decisions such as where to live or whether to have children.Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2024
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The game, available on Steam, utilizes jump scares and other creepy elements to frighten players.The Indianapolis Star, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Yet the video’s detailed mimicking of ballots in a key county in this year’s presidential race was a wake-up call that demonstrated how committed foreign actors are to undermining faith in the U.S. voting processin the critical stretch before voting concludes.Ali Swenson, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2024
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This weakens intergenerational connections and undermines both societal and workplace productivity.Sheila Callaham, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024
Verb
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This is the Zodiac Speaking co-director Ari Mark says his intention behind the series is to draw viewers into a bygone era of California before terrifying them.Olivia B. Waxman, TIME, 23 Oct. 2024
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Biden suggested that global leaders are terrified of what Trump’s return to the White House could do to democratic rule around the world.Fatima Hussein and Will Weissert, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2024
Verb
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To stop the outbreak from spreading and protect children already weakened after nearly a year of bombardment, displacement and severe supply shortages, UNICEF worked with partners to organize an emergency polio vaccination campaign.Sarah Ferguson, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
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Many shampoos with harsh chemicals strip your natural oils and weaken your hair’s bonds, leading to damaged cuticles.Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 23 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The mere threat of tariffs has already scared off foreign companies from investing in Mexico.Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2024
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The needles, however, scared him off the treatment.Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near paralyze
Cite this Entry
“Paralyze.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralyze. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.
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