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View synonyms for handicapped

handicapped

[ han-dee-kapt ]

adjective

  1. Sometimes Offensive. physically or mentally disabled.
  2. of or designed for handicapped people:

    handicapped parking.

  3. Sports. (of a competitor) marked by, being under, or having a handicap:

    a handicapped player.



noun

, (used with a plural verb)
  1. Often Offensive. disabled persons collectively.

handicapped

/ ˈhændɪˌkæpt /

adjective

  1. physically disabled
  2. psychol denoting a person whose social behaviour or emotional reactions are in some way impaired
  3. (of a competitor) assigned a handicap
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Usage

Nowadays the use of the word handicapped to describe people with disabilities is generally considered inappropriate. It is preferable to refer to someone as having a disability and to talk about people with disabilities
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Sensitive Note

See cripple.
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Other Words From

  • mul·ti·hand·i·capped adjective
  • non·hand·i·capped adjective
  • un·hand·i·capped adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of handicapped1

First recorded in 1910–15; handicap + -ed 3
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Example Sentences

I spent four years in a prison where each handicapped convict was issued an underpaid inmate assistant.

Franco plays Benjy, the mentally handicapped—and eventually, castrated—member of the Compson clan.

He is not lingering in illness, or crippled, or handicapped.

We lost a million individuals in that war…and another million were handicapped.

Saenz set an orange plastic sled at the top of a handicapped access ramp.

My work has been greatly handicapped of late by lack of certain books to which I wanted to refer.

But poor Lancing was seriously handicapped by the fact that he had a woman for his antagonist.

Thus, special assistance may be given for starting in trade persons handicapped by their infirmities.

He was handicapped by the fact that he did not quite dare to put all his back and shoulders into the preliminary shove.

But as for getting tangible help from the Creator of a body handicapped by nerves like his!

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