differently abled
adjective
: having a disability : disabled sense 1a
The sports program and foundation offers a dozen different sporting events for differently abled athletes, plus instruction about modeling, acting and public speaking.—
Lynnette Hintze
—sometimes objected to as an awkward or condescending euphemismLynnette Hintze… the #saytheword campaign to urge both the media and everyday speakers to use the words disabled and disability rather than mealy-mouthed euphemisms such as differently abled …—Ellen Samuels
Ellen SamuelsExamples of differently abled in a Sentence
won a gold metal in the Paralympics, an international Olympic competition for the differently abled
Recent Examples on the Web
Adopting Ash showed Isom, of Houston, Texas, that there are many other cats out there who are differently abled but still deserve to be loved.
—Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Its wellness pool has a ramp for wheelchairs to encourage differently abled to make the most of these soothing waters, which provide relief to tired joints and muscles or nurture sensitive skin.
—Savannah Romero, Outside Online, 6 Oct. 2023
The nonprofit also glommed onto the fact that technology trials for sortation and other forms of preparation must be a priority because many of its employees are differently abled, meaning that adaptations will need to be made.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019
This especially includes people who are differently abled and need clothes that accommodate their needs, or wear specific religious or cultural dress like hijabs or burkas.
—Ebony-Renee Baker, refinery29.com, 6 Feb. 2024
To be a dark-skinned Black woman in this world — particularly if your identity also intersects with being fat, or differently abled, or older, or unconventionally attractive, or trans — is to be a constant target of indifference, invisibilization, neglect, suspicion, violence.
—Allure Editors, Allure, 29 Dec. 2021
Kelly, an Australian The X-Factor sensation who describes himself as differently abled, is looking to drive greater inclusivity and accessibility in the film, TV and music industries via Outlyer by ending stigmas around people with disabilities.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 May 2022
In her newest book, Black Disability Politics, Dr. Sami Schalk, Associate Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison discusses the parallels between racial activism and advocacy for the differently abled.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 25 Oct. 2022
This week, Level Up U’s 104 participants graduated from the pilot program, 73% of whom are from non-majority backgrounds, including women, veterans, the differently abled, and people of color.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2022
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Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Its wellness pool has a ramp for wheelchairs to encourage differently abled to make the most of these soothing waters, which provide relief to tired joints and muscles or nurture sensitive skin.
—Savannah Romero, Outside Online, 6 Oct. 2023
The nonprofit also glommed onto the fact that technology trials for sortation and other forms of preparation must be a priority because many of its employees are differently abled, meaning that adaptations will need to be made.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019
This especially includes people who are differently abled and need clothes that accommodate their needs, or wear specific religious or cultural dress like hijabs or burkas.
—Ebony-Renee Baker, refinery29.com, 6 Feb. 2024
To be a dark-skinned Black woman in this world — particularly if your identity also intersects with being fat, or differently abled, or older, or unconventionally attractive, or trans — is to be a constant target of indifference, invisibilization, neglect, suspicion, violence.
—Allure Editors, Allure, 29 Dec. 2021
Kelly, an Australian The X-Factor sensation who describes himself as differently abled, is looking to drive greater inclusivity and accessibility in the film, TV and music industries via Outlyer by ending stigmas around people with disabilities.
—Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 May 2022
In her newest book, Black Disability Politics, Dr. Sami Schalk, Associate Professor of Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison discusses the parallels between racial activism and advocacy for the differently abled.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Essence, 25 Oct. 2022
This week, Level Up U’s 104 participants graduated from the pilot program, 73% of whom are from non-majority backgrounds, including women, veterans, the differently abled, and people of color.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Differently abled.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/differently%20abled. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
differently abled
adjective
dif·fer·ent·ly abled
ˈdif-ərnt-lē-ˈā-bəld, ˈdif-(ə-)rənt- 
: having a disability : disabled sense 1
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