paralyzed

paralyzed — adjective

1. no longer able to move part of the body, or any of it, because the nerves or mus

1.形容詞B2
釋義

no longer able to move part of the body, or any of it, because the nerves or muscles have stopped working properly — usually after illness or serious injury.

例句

After the car crash, Marcus was paralyzed from the waist down.

paralyzed from + body part downward

A stroke left Mrs. Lin paralyzed on the left side of her body.

paralyzed on + side of body

同義詞
  • immobilized

    broader — also covers being held still by a cast, restraint, or external force, not only nerve damage

  • incapacitated

    formal; emphasises being unable to function rather than the loss of movement specifically

  • quadriplegic

    technical noun/adjective for paralysis of all four limbs; not interchangeable in casual use

反義詞

文法句型

paralyzed from + body part downward

paralyzed in + body part

用法筆記

Subject is usually a person or a body part. Often paired with prepositions describing the area affected (from the neck down, in both legs, on one side). 'paralyzed' is the American spelling; British English uses 'paralysed' with the same meaning.

常見錯誤

❌My foot was paralyzed for ten minutes after I sat on it.
✅My foot was numb for ten minutes after I sat on it.
💡temporary numbness from poor blood flow is 'numb', not 'paralyzed'.
❌She felt paralysed her arm.
✅Her arm was paralysed.
💡'paralyzed' is an adjective describing the body or person, not a verb taking a body-part object.

2. so overwhelmed by a strong feeling such as fear, shock, or doubt — or so blocked

2.形容詞B2
釋義

so overwhelmed by a strong feeling such as fear, shock, or doubt — or so blocked by an outside force such as a strike or crisis — that you cannot think clearly or take any action.

例句

Lina stood at the top of the cliff, paralyzed with fear.

paralyzed with + emotion

The whole city was paralyzed by a sudden snowstorm on Monday morning.

paralyzed by + external cause

同義詞
  • frozen

    informal; usually short-lived and usually about a person, not a system

  • stunned

    emphasises shock at something unexpected; the inability to act is briefer

  • crippled

    stronger; often used of organisations or economies brought to a halt

  • stalled

    neutral; suggests progress has stopped but not necessarily through fear or shock

反義詞

文法句型

paralyzed by + emotion/cause

paralyzed with + emotion

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: this figurative use is almost always followed by 'with' or 'by' plus the cause (fear, shock, doubt, a strike, a crisis). Subject can be a person, a group, or a system (city, market, government). No actual loss of physical movement is implied.

常見錯誤

❌I was paralyzed of fear when I saw the snake.
✅I was paralyzed with fear when I saw the snake.
💡use 'with' for the emotion, or 'by' for an external cause; never 'of'.
❌The meeting was paralyzed because everyone agreed.
✅The meeting was deadlocked because no one would agree.
💡'paralyzed' implies inability to act, not simple agreement or stillness.