PARALYZE Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

paralyze

verb

ˈper-ə-ˌlīz

Definition of paralyze

as in to cripple

to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move a blizzard paralyzed the city for two days

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to intimidate

to deprive of courage or confidence the school board is paralyzed by the threat of lawsuits for just about everything

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for paralyze

Verb

Ukraine showed Trump how easily an enemy could cripple an AI powerhouse.

— , FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
He is crippled by doubt, convinced that others are gaining on him.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of cripple

Verb

Amid reports of a surge in federal immigration raids, Los Angeles leaders and immigration advocates said Friday that the efforts appear aimed at discouraging turnout in the midterm elections, and urged voters not to be intimidated.

— Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
In the books, Xaden is described as a large, dominating wing leader with dark, intimidating features who is highly revered by the rest of the Basgiath War College.

— Isabelle Farina, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of intimidate

Verb

According to the suit, Jane Doe was beset by seven men while she was incapacitated by drugs and alcohol.

— Anahid Nersessian, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
Prosecutors allege Freire raped one of the women while she was incapacitated, took photographs of the unconscious roommates and shared the images with others.

— Alice Gainer, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of incapacitate

Verb

Douglas admitted that his father’s behavior left him and brother Joel frightened.

— Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
At the very start of the pandemic, while most Americans were hunkered down, frightened for their lives and worried about job loss, RealPage hosted a virtual pep talk for landlords.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of frighten

Verb

Iran appears to be targeting commercial vessels conducting oil transfers to try to undermine vessels' ability to move energy through the strait, the Institute for the Study of War said Tuesday.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
Despite the tension, Humphries rejected the suggestion that the issue would have undermined the chemistry behind her Olympic gold medals.

— Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of undermine

Verb

By this point, the audience knows the monster a little too well to be properly terrified of her.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026
Though privacy concerns around these agents’ access may be terrifying in their own right, for now the utopian vision seems to be winning.

— Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of terrify

Verb

But while those will provide short-term relief, the currency is expected to weaken toward the end of the year and mid-2027, and a 100 rupee-per-dollar mark could not be ruled out, strategists said.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
However, following his arrest, the owner, Mohammad Khan, blamed this week's rains for weakening one of the roofs, according to police, who said the investigation was still underway.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of weaken

Verb

Dozens of other Halloween 2026 events in Metro Detroit are listed in the CBS News Detroit treats and scares roundup.

— Jack Springgate, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
In addition to scaring the bejesus out of Hamlet and demanding blood, the ghost informs the audience exactly how the murder occurred.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of scare

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

paralytic

paralyze

paralyzed

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“Paralyze.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paralyze. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of paralyze

verb

Example Sentences

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