Synonyms for disable
Most common
cripple disarm paralyze US incapacitate kill unable deactivate disenable
Definitions
- v. 1
To render unable; to take away an ability of, as by crippling.
Related words
- Word family
- disability disablement disablism
- Is a kind of
- damage debilitate deteriorate devitalize harm
Forms
- Past participle
- disabled
e.g. disabled → incapacitated, crippled, disarmed, invalided…
Example sentences
- cripple But I have nothing left. I am just an old cripple.
- disarm The police managed to disarm the perp.
- paralyze Decisions once easy now paralyze me with indecision.
- kill He tried to kill himself because he lost her love.
- unable We are sorry we are unable to accept your request.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| disable | rising | |
| cripple | steady | |
| disarm | rising | |
| paralyze | steady | |
| incapacitate | rising | |
| kill | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- kill1, lame1, maim1
- 5 letters
- unfit2
- 6 letters
- unable3, weaken2, hamper2, disarm2, nobble
- 7 letters
- invalid3, exhaust2, cripple2
- 8 letters
- handicap3, paralyze3, paralyse, enfeeble3
- 9 letters
- hamstring2, disenable
- 10 letters
- deactivate4, disqualify4
- 12 letters
- incapacitate5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (unfit2 = 2 syllables).