1
as in to cripple
to cause severe or permanent injury to
a promising athlete who was severely disabled in a plane crash
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to paralyze
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
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Recent Examples of disable
Push to pass is supposed to be disabled on restarts, but Newgarden and teammate Scott McLaughlin both used it during the season opener in St. Petersburg, Fla., and were later disqualified.
—
Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Apparently the Entity, aided once again by its human helpmate Gabriel (Esai Morales), is set to annihilate humankind in four days unless Ethan and Ethan alone can disable it.
—Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 22 May 2025
Russian pilots often disable their transponders, do not file flight plans, and do not notify regional air traffic control, which NATO officials have described as high-risk behavior.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
Depositphotos View 1 Images By eliminating the essential amino acid cysteine from the diets of mice, and disabling their ability to produce it, scientists have induced rapid and dramatic weight loss.
—Michael Franco
may 21, New Atlas, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for disable
Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Apparently the Entity, aided once again by its human helpmate Gabriel (Esai Morales), is set to annihilate humankind in four days unless Ethan and Ethan alone can disable it.
—Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor, 22 May 2025
Russian pilots often disable their transponders, do not file flight plans, and do not notify regional air traffic control, which NATO officials have described as high-risk behavior.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
Depositphotos View 1 Images By eliminating the essential amino acid cysteine from the diets of mice, and disabling their ability to produce it, scientists have induced rapid and dramatic weight loss.
—Michael Franco
may 21, New Atlas, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for disable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disable
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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Inflammation from these conditions can paralyze the colon, causing symptoms like bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and fever.—
Janelle McSwiggin,
Health,
6 June 2025
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Fear of the unknown, driven by economic instability and geopolitical shifts, can paralyze teams.—
David Meade,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Verb
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To pry the babies away from their mothers, poachers often kill or incapacitate the mothers and their troops, prosecutors said in the release.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2025
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Thousands more were injured or incapacitated by the cold weather.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
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But their deadly design may undermine human health, too.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
5 June 2025
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Overemphasizing uncertainties can be used to raise doubt and unduly undermine confidence in robust findings.—
H. Christopher Frey,
The Conversation,
5 June 2025
Verb
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Federal officials said one immigration agent was injured when a rock shattered his vehicle’s windshield, and the U.S. Marshals Service reported arrests for obstructing operations, according to the Times.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
8 June 2025
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Officials said 15 people between the ages of 25 and 88 were injured with burns.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
Verb
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Bias, inaccuracies and missing values can all weaken model reliability.—
Tor Constantino,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
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Coercing democratic allies such as Canada or Denmark more broadly weakens trust in U.S. alliances; threatening Panama reawakens fears of imperialism throughout Latin America; crippling the U.S. Agency for International Development undercuts the United States’ reputation for benevolence.—
Robert O. Keohane,
Foreign Affairs,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disable. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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