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
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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
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
1
as in incapacitating
to cause severe or permanent injury to
the car crash may have crippled two people for life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in damaging
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 paralyzing
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 harm
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crippling
Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2023
Oakland Mills Coach: Chris Brewington Last season: Class 2A state champion Outlook: Losing the talent Oakland Mills did from last year’s outdoor season would cripple most programs, but the Scorpions have reloaded.
—Anthony Maluso, Baltimore Sun, 22 Mar. 2023
Large-scale withdrawals could cripple banks that are not well-capitalized.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2023
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
Verb
About six weeks ago, hackers crippled the computer systems of the TV and mobile phone provider Dish Network.
—Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2023
Oakland Mills Coach: Chris Brewington Last season: Class 2A state champion Outlook: Losing the talent Oakland Mills did from last year’s outdoor season would cripple most programs, but the Scorpions have reloaded.
—Anthony Maluso, Baltimore Sun, 22 Mar. 2023
Large-scale withdrawals could cripple banks that are not well-capitalized.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2023
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crippling
Noun
-
Experts say the false rhetoric coming out of the Trump administration creates real harm.—
Christiaan Hetzner,
Fortune,
12 July 2025
-
Under Vera’s order, Los Angeles police are banned from using chemical irritants, and flash-bangs against journalists who do not pose a threat of imminent harm to an officer or another person.—
Ashleigh Fields,
The Hill,
12 July 2025
Noun
-
The report said its findings showed patterns in the assaults, including victims found partially or fully naked with their hands tied, evidence of gang rape followed by killing, genital mutilation and public humiliation, indicating they were intentionally used as a weapon of war.—
Tia Goldenberg,
Los Angeles Times,
8 July 2025
-
Graphic content: The following article includes graphic descriptions of mutilation that may be disturbing to some readers.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Millions of hoses are being recalled across the country after hundreds have ruptured during use, causing nearly 30 injuries, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
29 July 2025
-
Maybe the massive shoes were worn by soldiers with swollen feet or other injuries that required them to wear medical dressings, Penn writes in the Conversation.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
28 July 2025
Noun
-
Public media leaders said their noncommercial funding structure was a feature, not a detriment, to their mission.—
Cate Charron,
IndyStar,
1 Aug. 2025
-
That’s very concerning and could be a real detriment beyond making things difficult against some of the elite centers in the league.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Meanwhile, people with disabilities are left without vital medical equipment, including walkers, wheelchairs, canes, and hearing aids.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
4 Aug. 2025
-
Minnesota’s Housing Stabilization Services, a first-of-its-kind program authorized in 2018, helps the elderly and people with disabilities at risk of homelessness find and pay for housing.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The game series of the same name is very thinly plotted, focusing on big demolition derbies and pure chaos and mayhem rather than story.—
Rafael Motamayor,
Vulture,
31 July 2025
-
Obviously, only digital horses were harnessed in the hit-and-run, but the surrounding mayhem and carriages are the production team’s purview.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
30 July 2025
Noun
-
Jurors saw photographs of other beatings Ventura endured and heard testimony from witnesses who testified under the pseudonyms Mia and Jane Doe about other instances of Combs’ violence.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
31 July 2025
-
In 2024, the mom was seen on a video beating on the dad who she’s now accused of killing, but the charges were dropped.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
29 July 2025
Noun
-
This has left the team from the Bay State in a world of hurt.—
Harry Enten,
CNN Money,
1 Aug. 2025
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According to Cramer, enterprise software is suffering because the industry might be one of the first hurt by new generative artificial intelligence technology.—
Julie Coleman,
CNBC,
29 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crippling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crippling. Accessed 8 Aug. 2025.
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