paralyze

[ par-uh-lahyz ]

/ ˈpær əˌlaɪz /

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See synonyms for: paralyze / paralyzed / paralyzing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), par·a·lyzed, par·a·lyz·ing.

to affect with paralysis.

to bring to a condition of helpless stoppage, inactivity, or inability to act: The strike paralyzed communications.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Also especially British, par·a·lyse .

Origin of paralyze

First recorded in 1795–1805; back formation from paralysis, modeled on analyze

synonym study for paralyze

2. See shock¹.

OTHER WORDS FROM paralyze

par·a·ly·zant, adjective, nounpar·a·ly·za·tion, nounpar·a·lyz·er, nounpar·a·lyz·ing·ly, adverb

sem·i·par·a·lyzed, adjectiveun·par·a·lyzed, adjective

How to use paralyze in a sentence

The unprecedented burdens placed on the IRS in the past year, combined with a decade of declining funding and a paralyzing pandemic, have given rise to a cascading set of taxpayer headaches.
The IRS Cashed Her Check. Then the Late Notices Started Coming.|by Lydia DePillis|February 16, 2021|ProPublica
By late the same night, 8 inches of wind-whipped snow had paralyzed the metropolitan area.
How a surprise snowstorm almost spoiled Kennedy’s inauguration 60 years ago|Kevin Ambrose, Jason Samenow|January 19, 2021|Washington Post
In the late 1980s, wild poliovirus paralyzed more than 1,000 children each day, according to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
A new polio vaccine joins the fight to vanquish the paralyzing disease|Aimee Cunningham|January 8, 2021|Science News
This week, a story line about people who took the Pfizer vaccine developing the disease Bell’s palsy, which temporarily paralyzes muscles in the face, exploded in popularity, according to Zignal.
Vaccine hoaxes are rampant on social media. Here’s how to spot them.|Rachel Lerman|December 18, 2020|Washington Post

He saw no other alternative between this and a complete paralyzation of our commerce.
Memoirs of Service Afloat, During the War Between the States|Raphael Semmes