Synonym Chooser

How is the word disable distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of disable are cripple, debilitate, enfeeble, sap, undermine, and weaken. While all these words mean "to lose or cause to lose strength or vigor," disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability.

disabled by an injury sustained at work

When might cripple be a better fit than disable?

While the synonyms cripple and disable are close in meaning, cripple implies causing a serious loss of functioning power through damaging or removing an essential part or element.

crippled by arthritis

When is debilitate a more appropriate choice than disable?

The meanings of debilitate and disable largely overlap; however, debilitate suggests a less marked or more temporary impairment of strength or vitality.

the debilitating effects of surgery

When could enfeeble be used to replace disable?

Although the words enfeeble and disable have much in common, enfeeble implies a condition of marked weakness and helplessness.

enfeebled by starvation

How are the words undermine and sap related as synonyms of disable?

Both 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

When is it sensible to use weaken instead of disable?

While in some cases nearly identical to disable, 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

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disable Turn Off Entire Suite: To completely disable Apple Intelligence, toggle off the feature under Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri. Thomas Westerholm, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025 The chase ended on the Chisholm Trail Parkway near McPherson Road after troopers deployed spike strips to disable the truck, DPS said in a news release. Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Jan. 2025 The crash was reported around 6:30 a.m. on I-84 West in the area of Exit 8 where a 55-year-old Avon man was driving a Lexus RX 450h in the left lane and was approaching a Hyundai Tiburon that was disabled in the left lane facing oncoming traffic, according to Connecticut State Police. Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2025 California Drone crash disabled a firefighting plane. Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for disable 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disable
Verb
  • About six weeks ago, hackers crippled the computer systems of the TV and mobile phone provider Dish Network.
    Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2023
  • Oakland Mills Coach: Chris Brewington Last season: Class 2A state champion Outlook: Losing the talent Oakland Mills did from last year’s outdoor season would cripple most programs, but the Scorpions have reloaded.
    Anthony Maluso, Baltimore Sun, 22 Mar. 2023
Verb
  • Its venom, potent enough to kill an elephant, is a cocktail of neurotoxins that can paralyze muscles and shut down vital systems in a matter of hours.
    Scott Travers, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
  • Travel was paralyzed along the Interstate 10 corridor with portions already receiving widespread snowfall totals of 3 to 6 inches.
    Karina Tsui, CNN, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • In the meantime, he’s incapacitated, which means that — per Monty’s will — Tommy is president of MTex, as well as the head of Monty’s estate and his family trust.
    Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 12 Jan. 2025
  • Hezbollah has been decapitated, its top echelons wiped out, and thousands of its fighters are incapacitated or dead.
    Noah Rothman, National Review, 8 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • As Coursera's Chief Content Officer Marni Baker-Stein emphasizes, this profound gender gap in AI and data science, where women represent just 22% of professionals, undermines both social equity and the effectiveness of AI technology development.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
  • It is also undermined by experience since its announcement.
    Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 24 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Detectives arrested a suspect associated with a stabbing that killed a woman and left a man seriously injured in west Roseville on Saturday, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.
    Emma Hall, Sacramento Bee, 26 Jan. 2025
  • In 2009, the Saints offered their players cash incentives to injure certain players.
    Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 25 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • However, critics worry bringing minority parties into the majority tent weakens legislative scrutiny.
    Charlie Campbell, TIME, 22 Jan. 2025
  • With rising conflicts and weakened diplomacy, the global order is set to fragment in 2025, intensifying economic volatility.
    Sarwant Singh, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near disable

Cite this Entry

“Disable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disable. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on disable

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