DISABLING Synonyms: 105 Similar and Opposite Words

disabling

verb

Definition of disabling next

present participle of disable

as in crippling

to cause severe or permanent injury to a promising athlete who was severely disabled in a plane crash

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in paralyzing

to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move disabled the controls for unauthorized users

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 disabling In the months following surgery, many women are afflicted by post-mastectomy pain syndrome, or PMPS, which spans from uncomfortable to disabling and can last years. —

CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026 The invention of tools like CRISPR then allowed scientists to edit that DNA for specific purposes, such as disabling a gene linked to disease. —

Stephen D. Turner, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026 The old wounds were yellow and purple, but the turkey had no broken bones or other disabling injuries. —

Bruce Brady, Outdoor Life, 8 Apr. 2026 The Navy deployed carbon-fiber warheads on Tomahawk missiles in the opening hours of the 1991 Gulf War, disabling roughly 85% of Iraq’s electricity supply. —

Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 6 Apr. 2026 The kind that the Iranians have had no problem so far either disabling or deterring with firepower from drones. —

Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 5 Apr. 2026 In the months following surgery, many women are afflicted by post-mastectomy pain syndrome, or PMPS, which spans from uncomfortable to disabling and can last years. —

Brett Kelman, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026 In one case, a California prison guard with spinal problems also claimed other ailments, including toenail fungus and eczema, as work-disabling conditions. —

Tony Saavedra, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026 The concept dates back to the Apollo missions and helped save the lives of the astronauts onboard Apollo 13 in 1970 after an oxygen tank exploded, disabling its electrical and life-support system. —

Briana Alvarado, ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for disabling

Verb

Confidence in Israel’s ability to seriously damage Iran’s nuclear program has slipped from 62% to 48%; expectations of crippling its ballistic missile arsenal have dropped from 73% to 57%.

— Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
All three largely believe the war caused the high gas and grocery prices that are crippling the nation’s economy.

— Terry Collins, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026