developmental disability
noun
plural developmental disabilities
: any of various conditions (such as autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, blindness, or fragile X syndrome) that usually become apparent during infancy or childhood and are marked by delayed development or functional limitations especially in learning, language, communication, cognition, behavior, socialization, or mobility
Two to three babies in 1,000 have cerebral palsy (CP), making it one of the most common developmental disabilities.—
Melanie Howard
Melanie HowardAutism is a complex developmental disability that affects how a person communicates and relates to other people.—Braema Mathi
Braema Mathi
developmentally disabled
adjective
developmentally disabled students
Examples of developmental disability in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Our readers had questions about the medical implications and the science of autism, a neurological and developmental disability.
—Caren Bohan, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
Disadvantages can include delaying the diagnosis of developmental disabilities and the financial strain of an extra year of childcare.
—Erick Trevino, AZCentral.com, 26 Sep. 2025
My latest article on the invisible housing crisis facing adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) does just that.
—Sydney Franklin, Cincinnati Enquirer, 21 Sep. 2025
At the two-hour class last Friday morning, the young adults, ages 18-21 with intellectual or developmental disabilities, made salads and pizzas.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2025
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Caren Bohan, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
Disadvantages can include delaying the diagnosis of developmental disabilities and the financial strain of an extra year of childcare.
—Erick Trevino, AZCentral.com, 26 Sep. 2025
My latest article on the invisible housing crisis facing adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) does just that.
—Sydney Franklin, Cincinnati Enquirer, 21 Sep. 2025
At the two-hour class last Friday morning, the young adults, ages 18-21 with intellectual or developmental disabilities, made salads and pizzas.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for developmental disability
Cite this Entry
“Developmental disability.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/developmental%20disability. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
developmental disability
noun
: any of various conditions (as autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, blindness, or fragile X syndrome) that usually become apparent during infancy or childhood and are marked by delayed development or functional limitations especially in learning, language, communication, cognition, behavior, socialization, or mobility
Two to three babies in 1,000 have cerebral palsy (CP), making it one of the most common developmental disabilities.—Melanie Howard
Melanie HowardAutism is a complex developmental disability that affects how a person communicates and relates to other people.—Braema Mathi
Braema Mathi
developmentally disabled
adjective
developmentally disabled children
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