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Glite Dictionary
paralyzingly

paralyzingly

1 8.1
In a way that stops a person from moving or speaking because of strong fear
  • adverb
  • /ˈpærəˌlaɪzɪŋli/
  • US
: paralizantemente
  • When he received the news of her sudden departure, he felt paralyzingly stunned, unable to move or speak.

Examples

  • She stood frozen in fear as the roller coaster approached the steep drop, paralyzingly terrified of what was to come.

  • I joked, but the music really was paralyzingly awful to me.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • The thought of delivering the speech in front of a large crowd was paralyzingly overwhelming for her.

Synonyms

numbly
vsparalyzingly
3 5.8

In a way that shows no feeling in the body or mind

stops action completely due to strong fear or overwhelming emotion
frozenly
vsparalyzingly
1 7.0

In a still, cold way that shows no feeling

halts movement completely because of intense fear or shock

How Paralyzing

completely
∞ 1.0
paralyzingly
  • US
1 8.1
partially
194 2.4
mildly
87 2.7

Surface Forms

paralyzingly positive
paralyzinglyer comparative
paralyzinglyest superlative

Morphology

paralyzingly = paralyzing (transparent) = paralyze + ing + ly

Formed by adding the adverbial suffix '-ly' to the adjective 'paralyzing', so the meaning is directly derived.

Etymology

Paralyzingly comes from paralyze, which is built from the Greek parts para- 'beside' and -lyze 'loosen' and meant making someone unable to move; think of fear that 'loosens' your power to act. So, if something is paralyzingly shocking or frightening, it stops you from acting or speaking.