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Glite Dictionary
crippler

crippler

1 8.8
Something that causes great harm and makes people or businesses unable to work
  • noun
  • /ˈkrɪplər/
translation icon : impedimento
  • The polio virus, a.k.a. the crippler.
  • a great crippler

Examples

  • The nipple crippler.

    The Pacifier (2005)

  • Hey, I only hope you can slip her a crippler.

    The Million Dollar Hotel (2000)

  • "And the number one crippler, for that matter.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • horse-crippler.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • That's… that horse crippler.

    Lone Star (1996)

  • Corruption is a crippler that hinders the progress of society.

  • The disease was labeled as the leading crippler of young adults, affecting their quality of life.

  • Many believe that inadequate education is a major crippler of personal growth and success.

Synonyms

mutilator
vscrippler
  • NSFW
1 9.3

A person who seriously hurts and disfigures people or animals

focuses on harming to disable or seriously injure rather than disfigurement
paralyzer
vscrippler
  • US
1 8.2

A person, substance, or thing that makes someone unable to move

also covers serious harm but not only immobilization
maimer
vscrippler
  • NSFW
9.9

A person who injures someone badly so they have lasting harm

is broader, covers serious harm or disabling, not only permanent outcomes
trampler
vscrippler
7.9

A person or animal that steps on and hurts others

is general for causing serious harm, not limited to stepping method
injurer
vscrippler
6.3

A person who hurts another person

implies more severe or disabling harm than this general causing of injury
damager
vscrippler
4.9

A person or thing that causes harm to people and property

specifies serious harm or disabling, not broad physical damage

Antonyms

healer
101 3.9

A person who helps others get better from physical or mental sickness, often using traditional ways

helper
79 1.0

A person who does tasks for others, for example at events

Surface Forms

crippler singular
cripplers plural

Morphology

crippler = cripple (transparent) = cripple + er

This is a regular agentive/instrumental noun formed from the verb 'cripple' plus '-er', so the meaning is easy to derive.

Etymology

Crippler comes from the common word cripple (meaning 'to make lame or disabled') plus the ending -er meaning 'one who' or 'that which'. So a crippler is literally 'one who causes someone to be disabled', which is why today it means someone or something that causes serious harm or long-lasting damage.