1
as in to incapacitate
to cause severe or permanent injury to
the car crash may have crippled two people for life
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to injure
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
the collision so severely crippled the ship that it had to be towed into port
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to paralyze
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move
a wave of strikes crippled that nation's steel industry
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cripple
The protests come amid soaring inflation in Iran following years of sanctions from the United States and other nations that have crippled Iran's economy.
—
Joey Garrison, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
None of that was fearful because fear of the unknown, like fear of, showing up in a situation and not knowing what's gonna happen is like, that's a thing that's like crippling to adults and definitely crippling to teenagers.
—Outside Online, 31 Dec. 2025
Moreover, these benefits come hand in hand with other measures that will likely cripple more comprehensive efforts to address the childcare crisis.
—Lauren Hilgers, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Its economy was crippled by war debt.
—Caleb Pomeroy, Foreign Affairs, 24 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cripple
Joey Garrison, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026
None of that was fearful because fear of the unknown, like fear of, showing up in a situation and not knowing what's gonna happen is like, that's a thing that's like crippling to adults and definitely crippling to teenagers.
—Outside Online, 31 Dec. 2025
Moreover, these benefits come hand in hand with other measures that will likely cripple more comprehensive efforts to address the childcare crisis.
—Lauren Hilgers, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Its economy was crippled by war debt.
—Caleb Pomeroy, Foreign Affairs, 24 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cripple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cripple
Verb
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He is accused of slipping incapacitating drugs into victims’ food or drinks before assaulting them between 2021 and 2024.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
16 Oct. 2025
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In still other situations, lapses in common knowledge can incapacitate people who really, really need to work together.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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When Dobbins was first injured, a source close to him said the best-case scenario for his return was if the Broncos made the Super Bowl.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
10 Jan. 2026
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Dellandrea was injured in the Sharks’ game on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets as his right leg struck the post after he was inadvertently tripped while driving to the net.—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Cuban officials acknowledged at the end of last year the country’s economy is yet again paralyzed due to fuel shortages and power stations constantly breaking down.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
3 Jan. 2026
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This week's protests are the biggest in three years, since nationwide demonstrations triggered by the death of a young woman in custody in late 2022 paralyzed Iran for weeks, with rights groups reporting hundreds killed.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Some Georgia districts are already using locking pouches, but schools could also just tell students to leave their phone in their locker, to turn them in to a teacher, or disable them using an online application.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
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Open your settings and disable all but the critical ones, such as when a family member is trying to reach you.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Stay away from windows as flying debris generated by damaging winds can be deadly.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Nov. 2025
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According to Brown, Hurricane Michael damaged 80 percent of the park’s namesake trees, but through a project with the Florida Park Service and Atlanta Botanical Garden, seeds obtained from living trees are being grown and planted in the ravine habitat at Torreya State Park.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The video evidence also appears to undermine elements of the government’s narrative of what happened.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
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Environmental and labor leaders say the pause is costing thousands of jobs and undermining energy independence.—
Carolyn Gusoff,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Ukrainian officials said four people were killed and at least 22 wounded in the capital overnight.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Federal agents wounded two people in a shooting in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This dynamic marred the 2012-13 Hurricane Sandy package and has recurred in other disaster bills, not because relief is illegitimate but because speed plus political cover invites provisions that would die in regular order.—
Veronique De Rugy,
Oc Register,
7 Nov. 2025
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Sook’s comments followed Nexstar’s report of quarterly results, which were marred by the absence of political advertising compared with the same quarter in 2024.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cripple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cripple. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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