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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disable
For the first seven nights, the motor was disabled, so the device was only being used to detect and record scratching activity.
—
Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 18 Feb. 2025
The Chevrolet Equinox and the ambulance were both towed from the scene due to disabling damage.
—Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2025
In addition, the company recommends familiarizing yourself with the stove’s Control Lock or Lock Out feature on the control panel, which disables activation of the heating elements when the range is not in use.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 10 Feb. 2025
Since her villain edit on The Bachelor, Zoe has disabled her Instagram comments.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disable
Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 18 Feb. 2025
The Chevrolet Equinox and the ambulance were both towed from the scene due to disabling damage.
—Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2025
In addition, the company recommends familiarizing yourself with the stove’s Control Lock or Lock Out feature on the control panel, which disables activation of the heating elements when the range is not in use.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 10 Feb. 2025
Since her villain edit on The Bachelor, Zoe has disabled her Instagram comments.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 10 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disable
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
The shooting left dozens wounded, including an 8-year-old boy who was partially paralyzed.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
3 Mar. 2025
-
During one of the most severe outbreaks in 1952, the virus infected 58,000 people in the US, paralyzed more than 21,000 and killed more than 3,100.—
Neha Mukherjee,
CNN,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Poison—the craft held an endless array of ways to stop a heart, and if studied well, a myriad of tinctures to incapacitate, dull, and deceive an enemy.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
20 Feb. 2025
-
Research has shown that lithium-ion battery fires produce higher levels of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide which can incapacitate a person.—
John Orlando,
New York Daily News,
16 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
There are eight issues that have begun to undermine the stock market's shaky support.—
John S. Tobey,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
-
His brave stand, like the legendary Dutch hero whose finger in the dike blocked a flood, still holds back the efforts of Putin, Xi Jinping, and their allies to undermine democracy — in the Baltics, Poland, Western Europe, and Taiwan, and in Trump’s United States.—
Trudy Rubin,
The Mercury News,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
In addition to the two people killed, 10 people were injured, five seriously, Mannheim police said in a statement.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2025
-
Pimenov’s girlfriend was critically injured in the strike and remains in hospital, the report said.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
In the fourth quarter of 2024, WK Kellogg reported net sales of $640 million, a decrease of 1.7% compared to $651 million in the same period in 2023, impacted by a 5.6% volume decline and a 40 basis point headwind from the weakening Canadian dollar.—
Joe Cornell,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
-
But the Trump administration's new cuts further weaken a banking watchdog that has been sounding the alarm for years about its decreasing ability to prevent future banking crises.—
Maria Aspan,
NPR,
27 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disable. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share