paralyze
verb (used with object)
to affect with paralysis.
had paralyzed
-
past perfectof paralyze.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Not only had this patrol set a new record for ships sunk, but it had paralyzed Japanese shipping” in the area, Mr. Clavin writes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2025
Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry said the communication outages had paralyzed an overwhelmed health system.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 28, 2023
It was 1980 and Jimmy Carter was in the White House, bedeviled by a hostage crisis in Iran that had paralyzed his presidency and hampered his effort to win a second term.
From New York Times ● Mar. 18, 2023
She promised to prioritize quality-of-life issues and, foreshadowing some of the struggles that would come, she pledged to fight a status quo that she argued had paralyzed the city.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 22, 2022
Looking down at Rubin, I saw what had paralyzed Rainie.
From "Where the Red Fern Grows" by Wilson Rawls
