DISABLED Synonyms: 135 Similar and Opposite Words

disabled 1 of 2

adjective

dis-ˈā-bəld

Definition of disabled

as in impaired

deprived of the power to perform one or more natural bodily activities the disabled man was unable to climb the stairs without help

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

disabled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of disable

as in crippled

to cause severe or permanent injury to a promising athlete who was severely disabled in a plane crash

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in paralyzed

to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move disabled the controls for unauthorized users

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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 disabled

Adjective

Police in DeKalb County had issued a Mattie's Call, Georgia's emergency missing alert for disabled or elderly persons, for 70-year-old Joanne Howell on Saturday. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 The nonprofit owns two houses to provide affordable housing for physically disabled adults in the Santa Clara Valley. — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026

Verb

Dozens of Flock cameras have been forcibly disabled in recent weeks, with many people cheering on the vigilantes. — T.m. Brown, CNN Money, 30 July 2026 Tim Hawkins as saying that American forces disabled the M/T Lavine in the Gulf of Oman after the ship attempted to run the blockade at least four times. — Azhar Sukri, CNBC, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for disabled

Recent Examples of Synonyms for disabled

Adjective

What family is without someone who at times is angry, drunk, jealous, depressed, impaired or in deep despair?

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
To mend our impaired system, the Senate must end this fast-track approach and restore the 60-vote barrier.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of impaired

Verb

Africa desperately needs them, crippled by a fundamental lack of traditional national film funding incentives.

— John Hopewell, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026
Winds cripple aerial firefighting Nearly 500 firefighters and 23 aircraft were deployed, but gale-force winds drove flames through dry forest and crippled the response, preventing some aircraft from reaching the sea to collect water.

— Elena Becatoros, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of crippled

Verb

Prosecutors say after killing her children, Clancy cut her wrists and neck and jumped from a second-story window, leaving her partially paralyzed.

— Andi Babineau, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Lindsay Clancy trial Clancy, who is partially paralyzed from jumping out her second-story bedroom window after killing the children, could be sentenced to life in prison without parole if convicted.

— Kristina Rex, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of paralyzed

Verb

The medical professional also checked the boxes saying Grayson would be incapacitated within six months and his condition was unlikely to improve.

— Jerry Nowicki, CBS News, 31 July 2026
The doctor did not, however, deem Grayson medically incapacitated, finding that the cancer does not interfere with his ability to take care of himself in daily life.

— Ava Kelley, NBC news, 31 July 2026

Definition of incapacitated

Verb

In Russia, five people were wounded when a fire broke out at the Ilsky Oil Refinery in the southern Krasnodar region due to debris from a falling drone, local officials said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
More than 20 people were wounded and nine remained in critical condition following the shooting.

— Connor Greene, Time, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of wounded

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disable

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“Disabled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disabled. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of disabled

adjective

verb

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