German word

lähmen

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈlɛːmən/

Meaning

  • verbparalyze

Example

Der Unfall lähmte ihn für immer.

The accident paralyzed him forever.

Illustration for lähmen (paralyze)

More examples

Die Bürokratie lähmt viele Projekte.

Bureaucracy paralyzes many projects.

Core concept

A force cuts the link between a person and effective movement or action.

Common phrases

  • eine Diskussion lähmen

    paralyze a discussion

  • jemanden durch Furcht lähmen

    paralyze someone with fear

  • das Vertrauen lähmen

    paralyze trust

Similar words

paralysieren: To make someone unable to move by disabling nerve or muscle function.
erstarren: To become motionless when fear or shock makes the body stiff.
lahmlegen: To stop an organization or system from operating.

Definition in German

körperlich oder im übertragenen Sinn verhindern, dass jemand handelt oder sich bewegt

Word origin

Lähmen is formed from the adjective lahm, meaning lame, with the verb-forming ending -en; lahm continues an old Germanic word related to English lame.

Usage tips

  • Lähmen takes an accusative object, as in "Der Unfall lähmte ihn", rather than a prepositional object.

Other meanings

  • disableverb
  • immobilizeverb

Opposites

Related words

  • gelähmtparalyzedadjective
  • die Lähmungparalysisnoun

Word lists with this word