Paralyze

Pronunciation: /ˈpærəˌlaɪz/

Definitions of paralyze

verb to cause someone to become unable to move or feel all or part of their body

Example Sentences

A1 The fear of spiders can paralyze some people.

A2 He was paralyzed with fear when he saw the ghost.

B1 The accident left him paralyzed from the waist down.

B2 The shocking news seemed to paralyze her ability to think clearly.

C1 The economic crisis has the potential to paralyze the entire country.

C2 The sudden realization of the danger ahead paralyzed him with indecision.

Examples of paralyze in a Sentence

formal The accident left him with a spinal cord injury that could paralyze him from the waist down.

informal I heard that the fear of public speaking can paralyze some people.

slang That horror movie totally paralyzed me with fear!

figurative The shocking news seemed to paralyze her ability to think clearly.

Grammatical Forms of paralyze

• past tense: paralyzed
• plural: paralyzes
• comparative: more paralyzed
• superlative: most paralyzed
• present tense: paralyze
• future tense: will paralyze
• perfect tense: has paralyzed
• continuous tense: is paralyzing
• singular: paralyze
• positive degree: paralyze
• infinitive: to paralyze
• gerund: paralyzing
• participle: paralyzing

Origin and Evolution of paralyze

First Known Use: 1425 year

Language of Origin: Greek

Story behind the word: The word 'paralyze' originated from the Greek word 'paralusis', meaning 'disable' or 'inability to move'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'paralyze' has come to be used in a medical context to describe the loss of sensation or movement in part or all of the body, as well as in a metaphorical sense to describe being unable to act or function effectively.