crippled

[krip-uhld]

adjective

1. Offensive.

   1. relating to a person who is partially or totally unable to use one or more limbs.

   2. relating to a person who is disabled or impaired in any way.

2. not operating or performing at the customary level; impaired; weakened.

   Significant progress has been made in repairing the crippled power plant.

   A telecommunications firm has signed a deal to get their crippled company back in business.

Sensitive Note

Why is crippled offensive? See cripple ( def. ).

Other Word Forms

• uncrippled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of crippled¹

First recorded in 1300–50; cripple ( def. ) (verb) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

This crippled my ability to do my best work.

Read more on Literature

"By fracturing the unity of the nation's apex court, it has crippled judicial independence and integrity, pushing the country back by decades."

Read more on Barron's

“The Biden controls cost taxpayers tens of billions, crippled innovation and ceded ground to foreign rivals.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

All of the new structures were designed to catch any radioactive debris that might be knocked loose as workers dismantled the crippled reactors and moved fuel from their storage pools to a safer location.

Read more on Literature

Mali's fuel shortage is also exacerbating severe and recurrent power outages that have crippled the economy for the past five years.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• debilitated www.thesaurus.com
• disabled 
• impaired 
• incapacitated 
• limited 
• maimed 
• paralytic 
• paralyzed www.thesaurus.com
• restricted