cripple

noun

crip·ple | \ ˈkri-pəl

Definition of cripple

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a sometimes offensive : a lame or partly disabled person or animal

b : one that is disabled or deficient in a specified manner a social cripple

2 : something flawed or imperfect

cripple

adjective

Definition of cripple (Entry 2 of 3)

: being lame, flawed, or imperfect

cripple

verb

crippled; crippling\ ˈkri-p(ə-)liŋ

Definition of cripple (Entry 3 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to deprive of the use of a limb and especially a leg the accident left him crippled

2 : to deprive of capability for service or of strength, efficiency, or wholeness an economy crippled by inflation

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Choose the Right Synonym for cripple

Verb

maim, cripple, mutilate, batter, mangle mean to injure so severely as to cause lasting damage. maim implies the loss or injury of a bodily member through violence. maimed by a shark cripple implies the loss or serious impairment of an arm or leg. crippled for life in an accident mutilate implies the cutting off or removal of an essential part of a person or thing thereby impairing its completeness, beauty, or function. a tree mutilated by inept pruning batter implies a series of blows that bruise deeply, deform, or mutilate. an old ship battered by fierce storms mangle implies a tearing or crushing that leaves deep wounds. a soldier's leg mangled by shrapnel

weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, undermine, sap, cripple, 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 cripple implies causing a serious loss of functioning power through damaging or removing an essential part or element. crippled by arthritis disable suggests bringing about impairment or limitation in a physical or mental ability. disabled by an injury sustained at work

Examples of cripple in a Sentence

Noun

He returned from war a cripple.

Verb

Higher taxes could cripple small businesses. an economy crippled by inflation

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

So a future reconciliation bill would not only cripple Obamacare and strip millions of Americans of health coverage obtained via the exchanges, but also kill the Medicaid expansion and throw millions more out of coverage. — Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, "If Trump Wins, Paul Ryan's Budget Plan Will Destroy 'Ordinary Americans'," 7 Oct. 2016

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Medina fears his family could be forced to live for weeks or even months in Juárez, crippled by rising violence, just to get a chance to make a claim for asylum. — Dallas News, "Mexico wrestles with its identity as the national guard helps Trump and López Obrador crack down on migrants," 29 June 2019 His administration is aiming to cripple Iran's economy and force policy changes by re-imposing sanctions, including on Iranian oil exports. — Author: Darlene Superville, Anchorage Daily News, "Pompeo sets out to build global coalition against Iran," 24 June 2019 His administration is aiming to cripple Iran's economy and force policy changes by re-imposing sanctions, including on Iranian oil exports. — Aron Heller, chicagotribune.com, "National Security Adviser John Bolton warns Iran not to mistake U.S. “prudence” for weakness," 23 June 2019 Apollo 13 never made it to the moon and barely even made it back to Earth after an oxygen tank explosion crippled the spacecraft. — Deb Kiner | Dkiner@pennlive.com, al, "Historic photos of Apollo 13’s aborted but miraculous mission," 11 Apr. 2019 Nigeria marked the third year without a documented case of polio, which cripples children. — The Economist, "Politics this week," 22 Aug. 2019 Mnangagwa's administration has struggled to stabilize a moribund economy and curb hyperinflation while a severe drought has crippled productivity. — Mark Chingono, Bukola Adebayo And Brent Swails, CNN, "Violence escalates in Zimbabwe as court rules against opposition protests," 16 Aug. 2019 Last December, the White House publicly blamed Pyongyang for unleashing the WannaCry worm, an unprecedented cyberattack that infected more than 300,000 computers in more than 150 countries, crippling banks, hospitals and other companies. — Dustin Volz, WSJ, "Justice Department Announces Charges Against North Korean Operative in Sony Hack," 6 Sep. 2018 Stocks fell broadly in Asia, with the Hang Seng shedding 2.1% as pro-democracy protests crippled Hong Kong’s airport for a second day. — Damian J. Troise, BostonGlobe.com, "Stocks soar after US delays plans for some China tariffs," 13 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cripple.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for cripple

cripple

noun

English Language Learners Definition of cripple

(Entry 1 of 2)

old-fashioned + offensive : a person who cannot move or walk normally because of a permanent injury (such as a damaged leg or foot) or other physical problem

informal : a person who has emotional problems that prevent normal behavior with other people

cripple

verb

English Language Learners Definition of cripple (Entry 2 of 2)

: to cause (a person or animal) to be unable to move or walk normally

cripple

Definition of cripple

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Examples of cripple in a Sentence

First Known Use of cripple

History and Etymology for cripple

English Language Learners Definition of cripple

cripple

Definition of cripple

Other Words from cripple

Synonyms for cripple

Choose the Right Synonym for cripple

Examples of cripple in a Sentence

First Known Use of cripple

History and Etymology for cripple

English Language Learners Definition of cripple

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