Synonyms for

Cripple

Verb / ˈkrɪpʌl / Another word for cripple — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

To cause a person or animal to become unable to move or walk properly due to injury or disease.

Synonyms & similar words

Synonyms by register

Antonyms

Common collocations

  • cripple the economy
  • cripple a nation
  • cripple efforts
  • cripple growth
  • cripple a company
  • cripple the system

Word family

noun cripple
verb cripple
adjective crippled

Usage note

The word 'cripple' is considered offensive when referring to a person with a disability. It is best avoided in modern usage, especially in formal contexts. Its use is more acceptable when referring to abstract concepts like economies or systems.

Example sentences

  1. The car accident left him crippled for life.
  2. The disease crippled her ability to walk.
  3. The injury to his leg left him a cripple.
  4. The earthquake crippled the city's infrastructure.
  5. The company was crippled by the economic recession.

Quotes

  • It is not disability that causes a moral failure; it is the lack of accessibility that cripples the spirit.
  • Better to be the cripple's helper than the drunkard's friend.
  • The spirit of man is more important than mere physical strength, and the spiritual fiber of a nation than its wealth. The Bible is taught in schools. What is more important than that a child should be able to use the Bible?... I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell.

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