disable

verb

dis·​able dis-ˈā-bəl 

diz-ˈā-

disabled; disabling dis-ˈā-b(ə-)liŋ 

diz-ˈā-

transitive verb

1

a

: to make ineffective or inoperative

disable a bomb

For victims of smartphone theft, the ultimate justice is hitting a button that disables the device, turning it into a worthless rectangular paperweight.

—Heather Kelley

… gene editing makes it possible to change or disable a single gene without changing the "meaning" of the rest of the genome.

—Kat McGowan

b

: to impair physically or mentally : to cause disability in

Automobile accidents kill nearly 50,000 people each year. … Accidents maim or disable another 80,000.

—Matt Clark and Mary Hager

Diet-related Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease disable and kill people …

—Mark Bittman

2

: to deprive of legal right, qualification, or capacity

… the injured party was released from the bonds of marriage; but the offender, during life, or a term of years, was disabled from the repetition of nuptials.

—Edward Gibbon

disablement

dis-ˈā-bəl-mənt 

diz-ˈā-

noun

physical disablement

Nor does it tackle the disablement of any North Korean program to enrich uranium.

—Thomas Omestad

disabling adjective

Bipolar disorder is one of the world's 10 most disabling conditions, taking away years of healthy functioning from individuals who have the illness.

—David J. Kupfer

This is a rare, disabling pain disorder in which ordinary sensation such as touch, warmth and coolness are perceived as painful and minor knocks are agonizing.

—Maia Szalavitz

Synonyms

• cripple
• incapacitate
• lame
• maim
• mutilate

Choose the Right Synonym for disable

weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, undermine, sap, disable mean to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor.

weaken may imply loss of physical strength, health, soundness, or stability or of quality, intensity, or effective power.

a disease that weakens the body's defenses

enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

undermine and sap suggest a weakening by something working surreptitiously and insidiously.

a poor diet undermines your health

drugs had sapped his ability to think

disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

Examples of disable in a Sentence

a promising athlete who was severely disabled in a plane crash

disabled the controls for unauthorized users

Recent Examples on the Web

Fixed a possible issue where touchscreen input could not be disabled in activities. —Andrew Williams, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024

There were handshakes and photos and Johnson spoke of his own late dad as a firefighter who had been disabled battling a blaze. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 22 Dec. 2024

In Ukraine, Israel and the Red Sea, overhead attacks are detected by visuals, acoustics, radar and other means before they are disabled by electronic interference, entangling nets or pricey interceptors. —Colin Demarest, Axios, 18 Dec. 2024

If a drone is a threat, there are a myriad of ways to take down drones besides shooting: disabling them electronically, or using nets or even birds of prey, such as a falcon, to attack it. —Brad Dress, The Hill, 17 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English disablen "to deprive of legal rights" (in past participle disabled), borrowed from Anglo-French desabler, from des- dis- + able able, or from abler "to permit, make able to inherit," derivative of able able

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

disable

verb

dis·​able dis-ˈā-bəl 

disabled; disabling -b(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to disqualify legally

2

: to cause to be unable to do or act

disable a computer key

especially : to deprive of physical or moral strength

a disabling illness

disablement

-bəl-mənt 

noun

Medical Definition

disable

transitive verb

dis·​able dis-ˈā-bəl, diz- 

disabled; disabling -b(ə-)liŋ 

: to impair physically or mentally : to cause disability in

Automobile accidents kill nearly 50,000 people each year. … Accidents maim or disable another 80,000.

—Matt Clark and Mary Hager

Diet-related Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease disable and kill people …

—Mark Bittman

Legal Definition

disable

transitive verb

dis·​able

disabled; disabling

1

: to deprive of legal right, qualification, or capacity

2

: to make incapable or ineffective

specifically : to cause to have a disability

disablement noun