1
as in to incapacitate
to cause severe or permanent injury to
the car crash may have crippled two people for life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 cripple
That crippled Huawei’s smartphone brand, once one of the world’s biggest.
—
Joe McDonald, ajc, 9 Mar. 2023
Soon after, sanctions crippled the banking sector, food prices soared, and hospitals filled with malnourished children.
—Christina Goldbaum, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Feb. 2023
Soon after, sanctions crippled the banking sector, food prices soared and hospitals filled with malnourished children.
—Yaqoob Akbary Kiana Hayeri, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2023
If nothing is done, this could cripple the ISS.
—Kay Bailey Hutchison and Jane Harman, WSJ, 16 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for cripple
Joe McDonald, ajc, 9 Mar. 2023
Soon after, sanctions crippled the banking sector, food prices soared, and hospitals filled with malnourished children.
—Christina Goldbaum, BostonGlobe.com, 27 Feb. 2023
Soon after, sanctions crippled the banking sector, food prices soared and hospitals filled with malnourished children.
—Yaqoob Akbary Kiana Hayeri, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2023
If nothing is done, this could cripple the ISS.
—Kay Bailey Hutchison and Jane Harman, WSJ, 16 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for cripple
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cripple
Verb
-
This names someone who can pay your bills and otherwise handle your finances if you become incapacitated.—
Liz Weston,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2025
-
However, by the time Biden became incapacitated, that constitutional remedy was available for use.—
Mark R. Weaver,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 May 2025
Verb
-
Two people were injured and a dozen apartments left uninhabitable following an early morning fire Wednesday at a three-story apartment building, the second residential fire in Elgin in less than a week.—
Courier-News,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2025
-
According to the Associated Press, no one was injured during the incident, citing court documents.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
14 May 2025
Verb
-
Moving Forward With Strategic Confidence Economic uncertainty should not paralyze your business's strategy.—
David Zybin,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
-
Horn was left partially paralyzed by the tiger attack and, after a brief comeback in 2010, the pair retired from show business.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2025
Verb
-
In the case of an outage that disables mobile networks, Uplink routers—often backed by batteries or operating on local mesh—can keep neighborhoods connected.—
Sandy Carter,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
-
Users can also disable remote administration and reboot their routers to cut off this primary access point.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
Verb
-
All of the 37 public hospitals in Khartoum have been severely damaged and looted, Saad said.—
Emmanuel Akinwotu,
NPR,
16 May 2025
-
Without being able to urinate it out, like healthy people do, the ammonia would build up and damage first his brain and then his whole body.—
Karen Weintraub,
USA Today,
16 May 2025
Verb
-
The current United squad may lack attributes needed for Amorim’s preferred tactical system to thrive, but yesterday exhibited a lack of mental focus that undermined every major action.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
12 May 2025
-
Since returning to office, Trump has directed his administration to act aggressively against foreign nationals who the Administration has alleged are undermining American interests, particularly in the context of criticism of Israel and campus protests against the war in Gaza.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
9 May 2025
Verb
-
But both wound up attending St. Augustine Catholic Seminary boarding school in Michigan, studying at Villanova University in Philadelphia and earning divinity degrees together at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
11 May 2025
-
Russian attacks continue Russian shelling in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region over the last day killed three residents and wounded four more, local officials said.—
Samya Kullab,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2025
Verb
-
The Mavericks had a season marred by injuries and executed a trade that not only shocked the NBA but also enraged fans.—
Jason Jones,
New York Times,
13 May 2025
-
Finding an innovative, sustainable path to parity—without triggering the kind of prolonged labor disputes that have marred the sport’s past—will do far more for the game than any piece of equipment ever could.—
John Cairney,
Sportico.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cripple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cripple. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share