1
as in incapacitated
to cause severe or permanent injury to
the car crash may have crippled two people for life
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in damaged
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
the collision so severely crippled the ship that it had to be towed into port
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in paralyzed
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move
a wave of strikes crippled that nation's steel industry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in injured
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crippled
Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
As the city litigated and revised the environmental impact report, two devastating storms in December 2023 and February 2024 — the same series that crippled San Diego’s Ocean Beach Pier — substantially damaged the wharf.
—Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
Airstrikes reportedly crippled much of Iran’s defensive capabilities.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
The company was also hurt by the pandemic when a helium shortage reportedly crippled its lucrative balloon business during a time that was already challenging for retail and party industries.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 20 Dec. 2024
And the man who broke the back of the Southern filibuster that crippled the Senate and by extension the US for nearly a century.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 Dec. 2024
The economy lies in ruins—a shadow of its prewar self, crippled by years of catastrophic conflict, entrenched corruption, and punishing international sanctions.
—Karam Shaar, Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2024
In the early 1990s, a couple hundred members of the Cuban punk scene deliberately infected themselves with HIV in an effort to escape the severe economic depression that crippled the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 18 Dec. 2024
Aside from being a tool for geopolitical influence, having a proprietary satellite internet constellation is increasingly becoming a national security necessity, especially when ground internet infrastructure is crippled during war.
—Magdalena Petrova, CNBC, 15 Dec. 2024
Adjective
His vengeance included turning Michigan State in for NCAA violations, leading to probation that crippled the program until the late 1970s.
—Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
As the city litigated and revised the environmental impact report, two devastating storms in December 2023 and February 2024 — the same series that crippled San Diego’s Ocean Beach Pier — substantially damaged the wharf.
—Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024
Airstrikes reportedly crippled much of Iran’s defensive capabilities.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024
The company was also hurt by the pandemic when a helium shortage reportedly crippled its lucrative balloon business during a time that was already challenging for retail and party industries.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 20 Dec. 2024
And the man who broke the back of the Southern filibuster that crippled the Senate and by extension the US for nearly a century.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 20 Dec. 2024
The economy lies in ruins—a shadow of its prewar self, crippled by years of catastrophic conflict, entrenched corruption, and punishing international sanctions.
—Karam Shaar, Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2024
In the early 1990s, a couple hundred members of the Cuban punk scene deliberately infected themselves with HIV in an effort to escape the severe economic depression that crippled the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 18 Dec. 2024
Aside from being a tool for geopolitical influence, having a proprietary satellite internet constellation is increasingly becoming a national security necessity, especially when ground internet infrastructure is crippled during war.
—Magdalena Petrova, CNBC, 15 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crippled
Verb
-
Hours before that performance, as Ivy has a diva moment and Karen is incapacitated in a reformatting of the series’ poisoning plot line, Bombshell’s assistant director, Chloe (Bella Coppola), suddenly has to step up to play Marilyn, winning the love of the internet.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Successful organizing includes documenting evidence of government abuses, sharing information broadly, and building administrative systems rather than relying on a few leaders who may be assassinated or otherwise incapacitated.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Queen’s legendary guitarist Brian May made an unexpected return to the music festival stage at Coachella 2025, just seven months after a minor stroke temporarily paralyzed his left arm.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2025
-
However, so much has happened since 2020 — the year that a pandemic paralyzed the country — that Idahoans could be forgiven if their memories of the event are a little hazy.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The passengers went to a hospital, but nobody was seriously injured.—
Patrick McGeehan,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
-
He’s currently injured, but when in the lineup, the 6-foot-4, 203-pound forward is the type of player the Blues love — straight lines, finishes checks, sells out every shift and a nose for the net.—
Jeremy Rutherford,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The screen supports a 120 Hz refresh rate, but that's disabled by default.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Employees had to turn in government property, and email accounts were disabled.—
Andrew Limbong,
NPR,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Lennon's notoriously troubled upbringing was marred by paternal abandonment, frequent moves, and the sudden death of those closest to him, including his estranged mother Julia.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
-
The decision was not marred by procedural unfairness.—
Simon Perry,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Those at high-risk for listeria infection are newborns, those who are pregnant, have weakened immune systems, and those aged 65 or older.—
Mike Snider,
USA TODAY,
3 Jan. 2025
-
But the militants, while greatly weakened, have repeatedly regrouped, often after Israeli forces withdraw from areas.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
As with old wood blooming hydrangeas, remove broken or spindly limbs at the main stem.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
19 July 2025
-
Return Strong said the prison offered months of delay for one individual with a broken wrist and finger, limited mental health care, mold covering the shower walls, restricted visitation, took away access to fruit and stuck prisoners with years of solitary confinement.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
19 July 2025
Verb
-
Cardwell says in an attempt to punish NPR, Trump is only hurting some of those who have supported him.—
Frank Langfitt,
NPR,
20 July 2025
-
Angela, visibly hurt, calls her out—and for once, everyone agrees.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
20 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crippled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crippled. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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