1
as in incapacitated
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 damaged
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 paralyzed
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move
a wave of strikes crippled that nation's steel industry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in injured
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 crippled
Jason Kravarik, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2025
Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 4 Sep. 2025
The last time active-duty military was sent to Chicago against the wishes of local officials was on July 4, 1894, according to the archives of the Chicago Tribune, when a labor dispute at a Pullman factory crippled the nation’s rail industry and resulted in days of rioting.
—Andy Rose, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
Mismanagement, corruption, and violence within the government of Nicolas Maduro, amidst the price collapse, resulted in hyperinflation, scarcity, and instability that crippled the country.
—Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
The massive loss of life crippled the Byzantine Empire, weakening its administrative capabilities.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2025
Crucially, the war in eastern DRC also crippled the efforts to stem the spread of lethal diseases in a region already suffering from outbreaks of mpox, Ebola, cholera, malaria, and measles.
—Jean Kaseya, Time, 20 Aug. 2025
Yet others’ opinions never crippled White’s confidence.
—Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 17 Aug. 2025
But the punishment, which crippled the Trojans for years, was exponentially more severe.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2025
The stop-work orders and aid disruptions crippled FEWS NET's operation.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
Removing the rubble had already shut down PCH for months and crippled local businesses, but a rebuild would likely shrink PCH again as heavy equipment navigates the claustrophobic stretch of land.
—Jason Kravarik, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Tony and Ziva race to the scene, finding the place crippled by a power outage followed by a ransom request for 115 million Euros.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 4 Sep. 2025
The last time active-duty military was sent to Chicago against the wishes of local officials was on July 4, 1894, according to the archives of the Chicago Tribune, when a labor dispute at a Pullman factory crippled the nation’s rail industry and resulted in days of rioting.
—Andy Rose, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
Mismanagement, corruption, and violence within the government of Nicolas Maduro, amidst the price collapse, resulted in hyperinflation, scarcity, and instability that crippled the country.
—Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
The massive loss of life crippled the Byzantine Empire, weakening its administrative capabilities.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2025
Crucially, the war in eastern DRC also crippled the efforts to stem the spread of lethal diseases in a region already suffering from outbreaks of mpox, Ebola, cholera, malaria, and measles.
—Jean Kaseya, Time, 20 Aug. 2025
Yet others’ opinions never crippled White’s confidence.
—Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 17 Aug. 2025
But the punishment, which crippled the Trojans for years, was exponentially more severe.
—Jon Wilner, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2025
The stop-work orders and aid disruptions crippled FEWS NET's operation.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crippled
Verb
-
The Justice Department in its June 2024 report on problems with policing in Phoenix found that police delayed medical assistance to people who appeared to be incapacitated as a result of the use of force by officers and used unreasonable force on people who had already been wounded by officers.—
Elena Santa Cruz,
AZCentral.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
In other circumstances, this could have been the story of an ambitious young number one who finds himself in the big chair when his captain is incapacitated, forced to confront his inner demons when an unknown — but extremely powerful — enemy threatens to destroy the Farragut.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
In general, policies provide coverage for food if the power outage was the result of a natural occurrence, such as a storm that damaged a power source outside of your home, Irey says.—
Kristine Gill,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Sep. 2025
-
An unprecedented marine heatwave in 2023 caused bleaching events that severely damaged many of Florida's reefs.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Before recess, the lower chamber was paralyzed over a standoff regarding the Epstein files, when the House Rules Committee failed to tee up any bills for floor votes as the members disagreed over the Epstein files issue.—
Lauren Peller,
ABC News,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The climate groups had sued the EPA, Zeldin, and Citibank—which was holding the grant money on behalf of the agency—saying the freeze had paralyzed their operations.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In the teams’ most recent meeting, Chiefs kicker Matthew Wright, subbing for an injured Butker, doinked a 31-yard field goal off the left upright and through for a 19-17 KC victory.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
5 Sep. 2025
-
In states like California, personal injury laws are in place to ensure that an injured party has legal recourse and a direction for where to go next.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Pointing to her work treating people in the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting that killed 58 people and wounded hundreds more, the toll is not only on people injured, but also health professionals and first responders.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
29 Aug. 2025
-
Fifteen children ages 6 to 15 and three adult parishioners were wounded.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Boy Meets World — Savage’s comedy legacy has been marred by multiple misconduct allegations over the years.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Holes marred the walls in the kitchen under the dish machine, dry storage and dish storage rooms.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Ursula von der Leyen was on her way to Bulgaria when the plane’s navigation systems were disabled, forcing the jet to land using paper maps.—
Tasneem Nashrulla,
semafor.com,
4 Sep. 2025
-
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.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
For her, the loss of $40 isn’t the real issue, but rather the broken trust and the strange turn the situation has taken.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
-
As the family unravels, Genevieve must summon the courage to save her broken family – and herself – but not without a cost.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crippled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crippled. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share