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
Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
As the city litigated and revised the environmental impact report, two devastating storms in December 2023 and February 2024 — the same series that crippled San Diego’s Ocean Beach Pier — substantially damaged the wharf.
—Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
Airstrikes reportedly crippled much of Iran’s defensive capabilities.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
The company was also hurt by the pandemic when a helium shortage reportedly crippled its lucrative balloon business during a time that was already challenging for retail and party industries.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 20 Dec. 2024
And the man who broke the back of the Southern filibuster that crippled the Senate and by extension the US for nearly a century.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 Dec. 2024
The economy lies in ruins—a shadow of its prewar self, crippled by years of catastrophic conflict, entrenched corruption, and punishing international sanctions.
—Karam Shaar, Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2024
In the early 1990s, a couple hundred members of the Cuban punk scene deliberately infected themselves with HIV in an effort to escape the severe economic depression that crippled the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 18 Dec. 2024
Aside from being a tool for geopolitical influence, having a proprietary satellite internet constellation is increasingly becoming a national security necessity, especially when ground internet infrastructure is crippled during war.
—Magdalena Petrova, CNBC, 15 Dec. 2024
Adjective
His vengeance included turning Michigan State in for NCAA violations, leading to probation that crippled the program until the late 1970s.
—Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
As the city litigated and revised the environmental impact report, two devastating storms in December 2023 and February 2024 — the same series that crippled San Diego’s Ocean Beach Pier — substantially damaged the wharf.
—Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
Airstrikes reportedly crippled much of Iran’s defensive capabilities.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
The company was also hurt by the pandemic when a helium shortage reportedly crippled its lucrative balloon business during a time that was already challenging for retail and party industries.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 20 Dec. 2024
And the man who broke the back of the Southern filibuster that crippled the Senate and by extension the US for nearly a century.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 Dec. 2024
The economy lies in ruins—a shadow of its prewar self, crippled by years of catastrophic conflict, entrenched corruption, and punishing international sanctions.
—Karam Shaar, Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2024
In the early 1990s, a couple hundred members of the Cuban punk scene deliberately infected themselves with HIV in an effort to escape the severe economic depression that crippled the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 18 Dec. 2024
Aside from being a tool for geopolitical influence, having a proprietary satellite internet constellation is increasingly becoming a national security necessity, especially when ground internet infrastructure is crippled during war.
—Magdalena Petrova, CNBC, 15 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crippled
Verb
-
Hours before that performance, as Ivy has a diva moment and Karen is incapacitated in a reformatting of the series’ poisoning plot line, Bombshell’s assistant director, Chloe (Bella Coppola), suddenly has to step up to play Marilyn, winning the love of the internet.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Successful organizing includes documenting evidence of government abuses, sharing information broadly, and building administrative systems rather than relying on a few leaders who may be assassinated or otherwise incapacitated.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Queen’s legendary guitarist Brian May made an unexpected return to the music festival stage at Coachella 2025, just seven months after a minor stroke temporarily paralyzed his left arm.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2025
-
However, so much has happened since 2020 — the year that a pandemic paralyzed the country — that Idahoans could be forgiven if their memories of the event are a little hazy.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The passengers went to a hospital, but nobody was seriously injured.—
Patrick McGeehan,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
-
He’s currently injured, but when in the lineup, the 6-foot-4, 203-pound forward is the type of player the Blues love — straight lines, finishes checks, sells out every shift and a nose for the net.—
Jeremy Rutherford,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The screen supports a 120 Hz refresh rate, but that's disabled by default.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Employees had to turn in government property, and email accounts were disabled.—
Andrew Limbong,
NPR,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The decision was not marred by procedural unfairness.—
Simon Perry,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Lennon's notoriously troubled upbringing was marred by paternal abandonment, frequent moves, and the sudden death of those closest to him, including his estranged mother Julia.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Those at high-risk for listeria infection are newborns, those who are pregnant, have weakened immune systems, and those aged 65 or older.—
Mike Snider,
USA TODAY,
3 Jan. 2025
-
But the militants, while greatly weakened, have repeatedly regrouped, often after Israeli forces withdraw from areas.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Several broken waste bins were not fixed in a timely manner.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
26 June 2025
-
Marshmallows are for team players, but Severance is for everyone who’s ever felt the ache of a broken heart.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
This would hurt even the most polished comedy or the most clockwork heist movie, let alone one that hopes to be both.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
26 June 2025
-
The statement, signed by groups including the Law Society of Kenya, Police Reforms Working Group and the Kenya Medical Association, said 83 of those hurt had serious injuries and at least eight protesters were treated for gunshot wounds.—
Larry Madowo,
CNN Money,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crippled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crippled. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share