Definition of disablenext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word disable distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of disable are cripple, debilitate, enfeeble, sap, undermine, and weaken. While all these words mean "to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor," disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

When might cripple be a better fit than disable?

While the synonyms cripple and disable are close in meaning, cripple implies causing a serious loss of functioning power through damaging or removing an essential part or element.

crippled by arthritis

When is debilitate a more appropriate choice than disable?

The meanings of debilitate and disable largely overlap; however, debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

When could enfeeble be used to replace disable?

Although the words enfeeble and disable have much in common, enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

How are the words undermine and sap related as synonyms of disable?

Both undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.

a poor diet undermines your health
drugs had sapped his ability to think

When is it sensible to use weaken instead of disable?

While in some cases nearly identical to disable, weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power.

a disease that weakens the body's defenses

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 disable Cable locks, which disable firearms when they’re not being used, can be found in the emergency rooms of Cook Children’s Fort Worth and Prosper medical centers at no charge to community members. Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 June 2026 To use one prominent example, an explosion in July 2020 widely linked to Israel disabled a key Iranian advanced centrifuge assembly facility, destroying more than half of the facility. Amy McAuliffe, The Conversation, 26 June 2026 Security protection isn’t effective if a random program can disable it. Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 25 June 2026 One of the increasingly concerning threats is drones, which can be piloted remotely and are difficult to disable. Christopher Cann, USA Today, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for disable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disable
Verb
  • Sanctions on remittance and food delivery apps could further cripple the island nation, María José Espinosa, executive director of the Center for Engagement and Advocacy in the Americas, said.
    Rick Jervis, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • As a result, teams across the league have become more wary about handing out big-money, long-term deals in free agency, as one mistake has the potential to cripple a franchise.
    Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • While receiving treatment at a British base, Derek learned that he was paralyzed from the chest down.
    Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026
  • With endless criteria, knowing exactly what to ask for from a pair of jean shorts is paralyzing.
    Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • Airbus UpNext's DragonFly project is developing AI that manages complex emergencies autonomously when the crew is incapacitated.
    Tanya Eves, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
  • According to the law enforcement investigation, Garcia activated her Taser seven times in a row in about a minute, with the State Patrol concluding that three to four of those activations occurred after Tomlinson was already incapacitated by the initial Taser deployments.
    Brian Maass, CBS News, 19 June 2026
Verb
  • Context that undermines sensational allegations is minimized.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
  • Allies include Brin’s Building a Better California, which is bankrolling two counter-measures aimed at undermining the billionaire tax.
    Ben Paviour July 2, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • The Jackson County charges came after police accused Sanchez-Munoz in a series of shootings in Kansas City that left one man, Jeremy Keenan, dead and four others injured on June 16.
    Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2026
  • French and Ukrainian media reported that a Ukrainian magnate and his family were those injured.
    CBS News, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • Vcg | Visual China Group | Getty Images BEIJING — China’s consumer spending slowdown persisted in June, with growth during one of the country’s largest online shopping festivals weakening sharply from a year earlier.
    Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 23 June 2026
  • All three of those protagonists have been weakened in their roles by what has gone on.
    Nasser Hussain, New York Times, 23 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Disable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disable. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

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