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
Sallie TisdaleFor 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
Linda Burbank… 4,000 disabled athletes from 125 nations competing in 18 sports.—John Shaw
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
George J. Buse and Robert M. Wood2
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
David AbramsExamples 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
Screenshots from a July 23 TikTok video of a disabled cat managing to get onto his owner's bed without any assistance.
—Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
Social Security provides monthly benefit checks to more than 70 million Americans, including retirees, disabled individuals and families.
—Lorie Konish, CNBC, 24 July 2025
The original class of 30 physically disabled students — mostly with cerebral palsy — arrived on the campus, then on 33rd Street next to Anne Darling Elementary School, in a special bus and the school’s station wagon.
—Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 19 July 2025
The week-long National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic was founded in 2008 and hosts about 130 severely disabled veterans from across the country.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for disabled
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Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
Social Security provides monthly benefit checks to more than 70 million Americans, including retirees, disabled individuals and families.
—Lorie Konish, CNBC, 24 July 2025
The original class of 30 physically disabled students — mostly with cerebral palsy — arrived on the campus, then on 33rd Street next to Anne Darling Elementary School, in a special bus and the school’s station wagon.
—Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 19 July 2025
The week-long National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic was founded in 2008 and hosts about 130 severely disabled veterans from across the country.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for disabled
Cite this Entry
“Disabled.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disabled. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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