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Binding words: "incapacitate" vs. "paralyze"

Reviewed and edited by

Lloyd Cooper 06/10/2024, 06:51

English.me team member

Incapacitate and paralyze. What's the difference?

What is similar?

Both words refer to making someone or something unable to function normally. They can be used in both literal and figurative contexts.

What is different?

"Incapacitate" often implies a broader range of inability, including but not limited to physical immobility, and can be temporary or permanent. "Paralyze" specifically refers to the loss of ability to move and can imply a more immediate and complete immobility, often associated with a medical condition or sudden shock.

Which one is more common?

Internet search results for incapacitate) and paralyze

Examples of usage

Incapacitate

The injury incapacitated him for several weeks.
The virus attack incapacitated the network.
She was temporarily incapacitated by the flu.

Paralyze

The snake's venom can paralyze its prey quickly.
Fear seemed to paralyze her, preventing any reaction.
The accident paralyzed him from the waist down.

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