to cripple

Examples

• All

• Whatever else this suspicious attitude does, it cripples America's ability to lead other countries.

  Academic text (1999)

• The recent flooding could cripple the city's transportation system for weeks.

• The failure of any element may cripple the process and hurt the product.

  Academic text (1991)

• Because his union paymasters have called a strike deliberately to cripple our economy.

  The Iron Lady (2011)

• We mean to end their profits, imprison their members and cripple their organizations.

  Speed Kills (2018)

• Such a penalty is likely to financially cripple or even bankrupt most health plans.

  Academic text (1994)

• Neither side can simply switch to the open market without incurring a crippling disruption in trade.

  Academic text (1990)

• The phenomenon exists in law schools, Bahis claims, and is "crippling future generations of lawyers."

  Academic text (1993)

• How, if I can neutralize the self-doubt that cripples him, so that his potential is released?

  Fiction book (1991)

• Things came to a head after a crippling 1998 strike that cost GM $2 billion, Schwartz said.

  Academic text (2011)

Synonyms

M

to maim

vsto cripple

• NSFW

35 7.0

To seriously injure someone so they lose use of a body part or have it badly damaged

is damage that mainly causes loss of function rather than visible disfigurement

D

to debilitate

vsto cripple

20 7.7

To make a person, animal, or thing weak and less able to work

causes severe damage making functioning impossible rather than only weakness

D

to disable

vsto cripple

5 4.9

Injure someone so they cannot use part of their body, often permanently

is broader meaning severe damage making the whole unable to function

L

to lame

vsto cripple

3 8.2

To make a person or animal unable to use a leg for walking

is broader causes serious damage that prevents many functions

H

to handicap

vsto cripple

2 4.9

To make it harder for someone to do something because of injury or illness

implies causing serious damage that prevents normal functioning not just difficulty

S

to stultify

vsto cripple

• Formal

1 9.8

Make someone or something lose energy and stop working well

involves physical or serious damage rather than loss of motivation

Antonyms

H

to heal

481 1.2

To become healthy again after an injury, illness, or emotional pain

S

to strengthen

327 3.0

To make muscles, relationships, or groups stronger

Compounds

E

emotional cripple

• Slur

1 9.6

An insulting way to describe a person who has trouble feeling or showing feelings because of past hurt

How Damaged

to destroy

∞ 1.0

to cripple

72 6.3

to damage

885 1.4

to harm

738 1.0

to impair

61 5.1

Surface Forms

Etymology