paralyzed

adjective

par·​a·​lyzed ˈper-ə-ˌlīzd How to pronounce paralyzed (audio)
ˈpa-rə-
1
: affected with paralysis
If the right hemisphere of the brain is badly damaged in its sensory (parietal) areas, patients may show … an unawareness that anything is the matter, even though the left side of their body is senseless or paralyzed.Oliver Sacks
Thousands of paralyzed people worldwide are in the socially closed-off state.Christen Brownlee
2
: rendered incapable of movement or action
I was not found by the teacher until what seemed to me hours later but was probably five minutes, paralyzed with fright.Kay Boyle
Those who uncover plagiarism become paralyzed with embarrassment, letting the culprit escape rather than confronting him.Walter Kendrick

Examples of paralyzed in a Sentence

special ramps for paralyzed people in wheelchairs a seemingly paralyzed mayor sat by as the city's crime rate soared
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
When the technology is limited to medical applications, such as Chang’s device that helps paralyzed people regain the ability to communicate, those applications are covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 5 Nov. 2024 My left leg is, uh, partially paralyzed from my hip to my knee, then from my knee to my toes, completely paralyzed, so if there's any neurosurgeons out there … any researchers out there, please get a hold of me. Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2024 Those tasks may sound easy, but there’s a catch: The athletes, who are all paralyzed from the neck down, will attempt to complete them using only the power of their thoughts. Dana MacKenzie, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024 Along the way, he’s been shot, stabbed, paralyzed, ejected from a submarine, trapped in a gas chamber, stalked by a serial killer, attacked by Satan, and has effortlessly come back to life after being dead — all while his signature eyebrow arch reacted to the chaos accordingly. Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for paralyzed 

Word History

First Known Use

1763, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of paralyzed was in 1763

Dictionary Entries Near paralyzed

Cite this Entry

“Paralyzed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paralyzed. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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