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
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In 2018, eligibility was expanded to include those with developmental disabilities.
—Stephanie Innes, AZCentral.com, 27 Sep. 2025
State law says that an intellectual or developmental disability alone is not enough to qualify a person for a civil commitment.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 27 Sep. 2025
Revision is a nonprofit and creative arts program, funded through the San Diego Regional Center, which is among more than 20 of its kind throughout the state, providing support services for people with developmental disabilities.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
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
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Stephanie Innes, AZCentral.com, 27 Sep. 2025
State law says that an intellectual or developmental disability alone is not enough to qualify a person for a civil commitment.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 27 Sep. 2025
Revision is a nonprofit and creative arts program, funded through the San Diego Regional Center, which is among more than 20 of its kind throughout the state, providing support services for people with developmental disabilities.
—Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
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
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 17 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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