1
as in to cripple
to cause severe or permanent injury to
a promising athlete who was severely disabled in a plane crash
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to paralyze
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move
disabled the controls for unauthorized users
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disable
The constitutional amendment would make permanent an exemption of $60,000 for the elderly and disabled from school district property taxes.
—
Bethany Blankley, The Washington Examiner, 19 July 2025
The detonation broke the ship's rudder, disabling the ship and engulfing it in flames.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 16 July 2025
If the driver looks toward the passenger display, the screen will be disabled until the driver pays attention to the road again.
—Chad Kirchner, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2025
Some of these technologies are essential for ensuring the proper functioning of the service or website and cannot be disabled, while others are optional but serve to enhance the user experience in various ways.
—Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for disable
Bethany Blankley, The Washington Examiner, 19 July 2025
The detonation broke the ship's rudder, disabling the ship and engulfing it in flames.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 16 July 2025
If the driver looks toward the passenger display, the screen will be disabled until the driver pays attention to the road again.
—Chad Kirchner, ArsTechnica, 16 July 2025
Some of these technologies are essential for ensuring the proper functioning of the service or website and cannot be disabled, while others are optional but serve to enhance the user experience in various ways.
—Matthew Strauss, Pitchfork, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for disable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disable
Verb
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About six weeks ago, hackers crippled the computer systems of the TV and mobile phone provider Dish Network.—
Shira Ovide,
Washington Post,
4 Apr. 2023
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Oakland Mills Coach: Chris Brewington Last season: Class 2A state champion Outlook: Losing the talent Oakland Mills did from last year’s outdoor season would cripple most programs, but the Scorpions have reloaded.—
Anthony Maluso,
Baltimore Sun,
22 Mar. 2023
Verb
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House Republicans, paralyzed by internal fighting over the Jeffrey Epstein files, will embark early for a lengthy summer recess later this week after canceling votes on Thursday.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
22 July 2025
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With the House floor paralyzed, House GOP leaders announced on Tuesday that the chamber is leaving for a five-week district work period a day earlier than expected.—
Lauren Peller,
ABC News,
22 July 2025
Verb
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The report does not present any evidence of mechanical failures or of a possible bird strike, which could have incapacitated both engines at the same time.—
Russell Lewis,
NPR,
11 July 2025
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Trump's dismissal of the CNN and NBC reports comes amid concern about just how incapacitated Iran's nuclear capacity is.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
Verb
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Avoid Common Mistakes Despite the benefits of catch-up contributions, many individuals make avoidable errors that undermine their effectiveness.—
True Tamplin,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
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The firing of a career public servant, lawfully appointed by the court, is another blatant attempt to intimidate anyone that doesn't agree with them and undermine judicial independence.—
Matthew Robinson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 July 2025
Verb
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Shooting comes 3 years after another incident The July 25 shooting comes less than three years after another fatal attack at a University of New Mexico housing building left one student dead and three campus visitors injured.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
25 July 2025
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The boyfriend and dog weren’t injured in the attack.—
Garfield Hylton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 July 2025
Verb
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This weakens their ability to educate, create, and grow.—
Miguel Cardona,
Time,
21 July 2025
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This could help verify recent findings from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) that suggest this strange force is actually weakening over time.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
20 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disable. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
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