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 Because fiber-optic drones are harder to produce, they are typically reserved for high-value strikes or for disabling jamming systems to clear the way for cheaper FPVs. Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 6 Oct. 2025 Treat any message claiming your Meta account or other services will be disabled within days with caution. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2025 In January, the UK Home Office reportedly asked Apple to disable end-to-end encryption on iCloud data for users worldwide, possibly for law enforcement purposes. PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2025 Common Sense Media wants companies to disable chatbots from having mental health conversations with teens. Sonia Mankame, Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for disable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disable
Verb
  • Such a move would cripple global technology markets overnight.
    Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Drones allow aggressors to target critical infrastructure that cripples a defender’s economy at low cost and with high accuracy.
    Omar Al-Ubaydli, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • How old was Christopher Reeve when he was paralyzed?
    Maddie Garfinkle, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Hong Kong/Tokyo — Japan’s favorite beer brand is reeling from a cyberattack that paralyzed its production last week.
    John Liu, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • One caller said a delta-8 gummy incapacitated their adult son for several hours.
    Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Lorenzo confronts and incapacitates Pepe, Sonia’s main ally, before facing Sonia herself.
    Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • One bad manager or leader can, in but a few months, undermine a team with decades of collective service to the organization.
    Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
  • Whatever desire the audience might have to root for Kerr is undermined by his mounting failures in the ring and his growing friction with Dawn.
    David Sims, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The two people injured in the crash were taken to a hospital for further medical evaluation.
    Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 10 Oct. 2025
  • An elk hunter was seriously injured in a bear attack in British Columbia, according to Canadian authorities.
    Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • But with her coalition prospects in doubt, and the party weakened by scandal and voter frustration, her route to Japan’s top job is far from assured.
    Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Studies have found that, in some instances, background noise can weaken territorial responses in males.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 10 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Disable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disable. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on disable

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