Paralyze

1. (v. t.) To deprive of the power to act or move; as, to paralyze transportation in a city.

2. (v. t.) Fig.: To unnerve; to destroy or impair the energy of; to render ineffective; as, the occurrence paralyzed the community; despondency paralyzed his efforts.

Thesaurus Entries

KO, amaze, anesthetize, appall, astonish, astound, awe, awestrike, bedaze, bedazzle, bemuse, benumb, besot, bewilder, blunt, boggle, bowl down, bowl over, chloroform, close, coldcock, confound, cripple, daunt, daze, dazzle, deaden, deflate, demolish, desensitize, destroy, disable, disarm, dismay, dope, drug, dull, dumbfound, dumbfounder, enchain, enfeeble, etherize, flabbergast, freeze, gag, hamstring, handcuff, hobble, hog-tie, horrify, immobilize, incapacitate, kayo, knock out, knock senseless, knock stiff, knock unconscious, lay out, manacle, muzzle, narcotize, nonplus, numb, obtund, overwhelm, palsy, perplex, petrify, prostrate, put to sleep, scare stiff, scare to death, shock, shut down, silence, stagger, startle, strangle, strike dead, strike dumb, strike terror into, strike with wonder, stun, stupefy, surprise, terrify, throttle, truss up, weaken