disabled

adjective

dis·​abled dis-ˈā-bəld 

diz-ˈā-

1

a

: impaired or limited by a physical, mental, cognitive, or developmental condition : affected by disability

Decades of government policy and a Supreme Court decision … have established that public services for all disabled people must be provided in the least restrictive and most integrated environment possible.

—Sallie Tisdale

For disabled travelers—or anyone nursing an injury—successful trips require planning. … Rugged or remote areas may require some give and take on your part, including physical assistance or workarounds.

—Linda Burbank

… 4,000 disabled athletes from 125 nations competing in 18 sports.

—John Shaw

b

: incapacitated by illness or injury

… 17.4% of all match-ending injuries, were attributable to OT (orthopedic trauma). Two such stoppages involved multiple roundhouse kicks directed at the lateral aspect of the knee. The disabled competitors were unable to continue because of marked pain with weight bearing.

—George J. Buse and Robert M. Wood

2

of a device or mechanism : rendered inoperative (as by being damaged or deliberately altered)

a disabled alarm

They would have pulled out but they were waiting on the Iraqi police to finish their report and there was the issue of the disabled fuel truck …

—David Abrams

Synonyms

• challenged
• differently abled
• exceptional
• impaired

Examples of disabled in a Sentence

The organization is working to protect the rights of disabled veterans.

the disabled man was unable to climb the stairs without help

Recent Examples on the Web

The weapons were tracked down nearby and disabled, and the Americans spent two days repelling Nazi counterattacks. —Chris Megerian and Zeke Miller, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 June 2024

The toilet was important, Ibrahim says, because his disabled grandmother, Maryam, who is in her 80s, is with them. —Anas Baba, NPR, 4 June 2024

Read Next National Mom chains mentally disabled daughter to bed until sister finds her, PA cops say May 29, 2024 3:17 PM This story was originally published May 31, 2024, 4:18 PM. —Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 31 May 2024

Shayne Burke is a disabled combat veteran who’s been shot at, mortared, and bloodied in battle. —Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 29 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of disable

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing disabled

• intellectually disabled
• the disabled
• the disabled list
• the intellectually disabled

Kids Definition

disabled

adjective

: deprived of the power to perform one or more tasks (as climbing stairs or lifting heavy items) by illness or injury

also : functioning physically or mentally below normal levels in a way that limits or interferes with one's ability to receive an education or perform a job

Medical Definition

disabled

adjective

dis·​abled

1

: impaired or limited by a physical, mental, cognitive, or developmental condition : affected by disability

2

: incapacitated by illness, injury, or wounds

Legal Definition

disabled

adjective

: having a disability