1
as in crippling
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 paralyzing
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
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Recent Examples of disabling
If using a smartphone, NOAA recommends enabling night mode, disabling flash and relying on a tripod to stabilize the image.
—
Ty Roush, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Though an Indiana judge dismissed the charges alleging neglect based on Natalia’s age, prosecutors were able to bring charges against the former couple for neglect based on Natalia’s disabling dwarfism, the Journal and Courier reported.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
The crew would indeed appear to be at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, because the Navy wasn’t satisfied with disabling the speedboat with a single powerful strike, but kept bombing it to smithereens after the initial hit.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
The Regional Transportation District shut down train service and ran bus shuttles along the A Line on Friday morning after someone stole copper wiring along the rail corridor, disabling the agency’s anti-crash system for trains.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 12 Sep. 2025
For those who prefer intentional playback, especially on intense news days, here’s an app-by-app guide to disabling video autoplay on some of the most highly trafficked social-media platforms out there.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
The shots that are available protect against diseases that have a large public health impact, cause severe disease or that can be deadly or disabling.
—ABC News, 10 Sep. 2025
However, disabling its use completely would break many customer systems.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 10 Sep. 2025
The study involved 198 adults with generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, a disabling form of anxiety that affects about 1 in 10 people over the course of a year.
—Jon Hamilton, NPR, 5 Sep. 2025
Ty Roush, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Though an Indiana judge dismissed the charges alleging neglect based on Natalia’s age, prosecutors were able to bring charges against the former couple for neglect based on Natalia’s disabling dwarfism, the Journal and Courier reported.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
The crew would indeed appear to be at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, because the Navy wasn’t satisfied with disabling the speedboat with a single powerful strike, but kept bombing it to smithereens after the initial hit.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
The Regional Transportation District shut down train service and ran bus shuttles along the A Line on Friday morning after someone stole copper wiring along the rail corridor, disabling the agency’s anti-crash system for trains.
—John Aguilar, Denver Post, 12 Sep. 2025
For those who prefer intentional playback, especially on intense news days, here’s an app-by-app guide to disabling video autoplay on some of the most highly trafficked social-media platforms out there.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
The shots that are available protect against diseases that have a large public health impact, cause severe disease or that can be deadly or disabling.
—ABC News, 10 Sep. 2025
However, disabling its use completely would break many customer systems.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 10 Sep. 2025
The study involved 198 adults with generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, a disabling form of anxiety that affects about 1 in 10 people over the course of a year.
—Jon Hamilton, NPR, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disabling
Verb
-
Deadly floods in Asia have devastated crops, crippling already fragile food production.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Thomas’ absence has been crippling for the Giants in recent years.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Doctors spent several minutes resuscitating Luka before making the difficult decision to use a paralyzing agent to stop him from moving and potentially hurting himself.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Without these supports, free-will can feel utterly paralyzing.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
To write one’s way out of the incapacitating dependence of daughterhood into autonomy means shedding the unquestioning fidelity of a child.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
3 Sep. 2025
-
This is not some bloodthirsty pirate contempt with conquering a pleasure planet like everyone thought, but a calculative master manipulator and tactician who knew the value of Kalgan and used it to acquire a larger prize — incapacitating the Empire’s attack forces.—
Rafael Motamayor,
Vulture,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Caracas insists the buildup is part of a broader campaign directed at undermining President Nicolás Maduro’s government.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
15 Sep. 2025
-
By targeting us – the creators who give voice to diverse narratives and foster dialogue – these signatories are undermining their own cause and attempting to silence us.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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A student who authorities say opened fire at his Colorado high school, wounding two classmates and then turning the gun on himself, has died, according to the local sheriff's office.—
Alex Stone,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Police say Reed then opened fire in the parking lot, killing Jones, wounding a 23-year-old Dallas man and also shooting at off-duty officers who were working at the business.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Then the hurricane continued on a more northward path around the islands and finally began weakening after powerful 145 mph winds tapered off.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Total job growth was revised lower by the largest amount in history, The revisions erased 911 thousand jobs over the full year period, adding to mounting concerns of a weakening labor market and fueling questions as to the reliability of monthly data being used to gauge employment.—
JJ Kinahan,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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China has rejected the accusation and accused the Philippines of damaging the coral reef ecosystem in the waterway instead.—
Nectar Gan,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
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To get a much clearer look at its fine details and avoid damaging the specimen, the research team used highly powerful synchrotron CT scans from facilities in France and the UK.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disabling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disabling. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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