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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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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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
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
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Now in her 21st year in office, Howard recalled the warmth and support that came her way in 2019 from her House colleagues when her husband was stricken with the incapacitating illness that would claim his life the following year.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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He was found guilty this week after a two-and-a-half week trial where the victim testified she was incapacitated after heavy drinking at the party and unable to provide consent.—
Chris Biderman
July 3,
Sacbee.com,
3 July 2025
Verb
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After hearing more cries for help, searchers found the missing climber, who had been injured, at 4:16 a.m.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
18 Aug. 2025
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For example, June saw one of the highest monthly civilian casualties in three years, with 232 people killed and 1,343 injured (totaling 1,575).—
Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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At a time when institutions are bending the knee to Donald Trump and the Democratic Party is paralyzed, the WFP is building capacity, strategically leveraging power, and engaging voters in cities big and small.—
Theo Oshiro,
New York Daily News,
14 Aug. 2025
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The breach paralyzed billing and claims systems for weeks across the U.S. healthcare network.—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Some of these technologies are essential for ensuring the proper functioning of the service or website and cannot be disabled, while others are optional but serve to enhance the user experience in various ways.—
Matthew Strauss,
Pitchfork,
15 Aug. 2025
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This tab logs all your previous chats and has options to disable or delete them.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Only one public building was damaged in Lincoln, according to Chief of Staff Rhonda Hulse.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Aug. 2025
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Extreme heat in 2023 had damaged the quality of rice, causing an acute shortage last year that was exacerbated by the government’s misreading of supply and demand.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Trump’s suggestion of easing economic restrictions has drawn sharp criticism from European allies, who warn that any premature normalization could undermine the unified Western stance on sanctions and harm Ukraine’s position in ongoing negotiations.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
16 Aug. 2025
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Israeli authorities have stated that Chinese involvement in missile development or supply could directly undermine Israel's defense efforts.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The girl was taking her dogs outside when the hog came out of thick brush and attacked her, wounding her leg.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 Aug. 2025
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Eight civilians were killed and 33 were wounded in the eastern province of Donetsk.—
Katya Soldak,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Both votes were marred by what prosecutors said was a massive vote-buying scheme orchestrated by Shor, who has spent much of his time in Russia since he was convicted for his role in the 2014 theft of $1 billion from Moldovan banks.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
5 Aug. 2025
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Economically and socially liberal, though marred by colonial exploitation, Dutch society flourished.—
Michael James Rocha,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cripple.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cripple. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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