as in harm
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1
as in incapacitating
to cause severe or permanent injury to
the car crash may have crippled two people for life
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2
as in damaging
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
the collision so severely crippled the ship that it had to be towed into port
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3
as in paralyzing
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move
a wave of strikes crippled that nation's steel industry
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crippling
Brian Bennett, Time, 28 Feb. 2026
Terry Collins, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
This creates permanent skin damage around the well, fundamentally destroying its natural permeability and crippling its long-term productivity.
—Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026
In Syria, Israeli strikes killed senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, crippling Iran’s coördination and control.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
Dozens of countries have done the unprecedented, releasing an historic amount of crude from emergency reserves to prevent high oil prices from crippling the economy.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
So, in June last year, the president seized the moment by crippling Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 5 Mar. 2026
After June 2025, when Israel (for 12 days) and the United States (for one) launched strikes aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear program and decapitating the IRGC leadership, Khamenei curtailed public appearances.
—Karl Vick, Time, 28 Feb. 2026
So if half that tariff money goes away, that will mean a larger, but not crippling federal deficit.
—Nina Totenberg, NPR, 21 Feb. 2026
The department blamed Congress for a sudden $120 million shortfall, but the Herald/Times reported this week that the department’s own actions are crippling the program.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
The 12-day barrage came on the back of a series of setbacks for Iran’s leaders, including the crippling of its regional allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
—Brian Bennett, Time, 28 Feb. 2026
Verb
All three largely believe the war caused the high gas and grocery prices that are crippling the nation’s economy.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026
This creates permanent skin damage around the well, fundamentally destroying its natural permeability and crippling its long-term productivity.
—Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026
In Syria, Israeli strikes killed senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, crippling Iran’s coördination and control.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
Dozens of countries have done the unprecedented, releasing an historic amount of crude from emergency reserves to prevent high oil prices from crippling the economy.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 12 Mar. 2026
So, in June last year, the president seized the moment by crippling Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 5 Mar. 2026
After June 2025, when Israel (for 12 days) and the United States (for one) launched strikes aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear program and decapitating the IRGC leadership, Khamenei curtailed public appearances.
—Karl Vick, Time, 28 Feb. 2026
So if half that tariff money goes away, that will mean a larger, but not crippling federal deficit.
—Nina Totenberg, NPR, 21 Feb. 2026
The department blamed Congress for a sudden $120 million shortfall, but the Herald/Times reported this week that the department’s own actions are crippling the program.
—Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crippling
Noun
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The state would never allow a commercial airline pilot to fly without layers of preventive safeguards, yet its DUI enforcement often escalates only after irreversible harm has taken place.—
Sean M. Cleary,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Almost all important technologies, including AI, can be used for both protection and harm.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The defendant at the trial, Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company, argued that its policy covered only losses resulting from a medically verified, incapacitating illness.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
10 Mar. 2026
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Larter's Angela has been put through the wringer on the second season of Landman, from getting into an explosive battle with Thornton's Tommy over her period to getting arrested for incapacitating two health inspectors during a visit to her local nursing home.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Police say the semi truck driver went through a median wall, severely damaging it.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Photos on local media and social networks showed fallen trees in Zagreb, pulled out by their roots, some blocking streets or damaging parked cars.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At age 14, Arias was caught in the crossfire of a shootout between rival gangs, paralyzing him from the waist down.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
8 Mar. 2026
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In a region where weather swings from paralyzing ice storms to scorching summers, these elements carry weight.—
Mary Grace Granados
Special Contributor,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The bill would make genital mutilation of a girl under age 18 a class D felony.—
Emilia Otte,
Hartford Courant,
12 Mar. 2026
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That same day, Maxwell Anderson was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilation of a corpse, and arson.—
Lauren A. White,
CBS News,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Analysts say its unusual movements — including disabling its tracking signal — are consistent with tactics used to evade sanctions.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
25 Mar. 2026
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The Simpson returned fire with four missiles of its own, disabling the Iranian boat, before it was finished off by gunfire from the US flotilla.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The demoralizing graffiti marring the main entrance to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 360 Lenox Ave.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
12 Feb. 2026
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Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate, along with Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren, were ejected for fighting, marring what was an intriguing game between the top team in the Eastern Conference and the one featuring the NBA’s longest current win streak.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That’s a barrier, undermining the very mission of the Endowment, which in recent years has made significant investments to expand access to high-quality care for Nutmeg State families of diverse backgrounds.—
Josette Walters,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
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Accordingly, the warring factions have competed to depict themselves as the true embodiment of MAGA and paint their rivals as undermining Trump or deviating from his precepts.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crippling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crippling. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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