Word
cripple
Phoneticscrip·ple, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkɹɪpəɫ/
UK/kɹˈɪpəl/
Definitions
01to damage or disable
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to damage something so badly that it cannot work or move properly.
v. to cause severe and disabling damage to a system, organisation, or physical object, rendering it unable to function normally.
“The massive snowstorm threatened to cripple the city's transport system for days.”
“High interest rates and falling exports combined to cripple the manufacturing sector, leading to widespread factory closures across the region.”
Antonyms
02to cause physical injury
C1 · Advanced Literary
v. to cause a serious injury that stops someone from using their body normally.
v. to deprive a person or animal of the use of a limb or to cause permanent physical impairment.
“The accident in the factory threatened to cripple him for life.”
“The veteran had been crippled by shrapnel during the final months of the conflict, a detail the novelist uses to highlight the cost of war.”
Antonyms
03to reduce functionality
C1 · Advanced Computing Technical
v. to intentionally limit what a computer program or machine can do.
v. to release a product, particularly software, with reduced functionality to encourage upgrades or for security reasons.
“The free version of the software is crippled so you can only save small files.”
“Developers often cripple trial versions of their applications, disabling essential export features until a full license is purchased.”
Antonyms
04offensive term for a person
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Vulgar
n. a very old-fashioned and extremely offensive word for a person with a physical disability.
n. a person with a physical disability. This term is now considered highly offensive and derogatory in almost all contexts.
“The book used the word cripple, which was common in the 1800s but is offensive today.”
“Modern editors often include footnotes in classic literature to explain that terms like 'cripple' are now considered derogatory slurs.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object.
Pitfall
He is a cripple.
He has a physical disability.
Using this word as a noun to describe a person is considered highly offensive and derogatory in modern English.
Real-World Examples
“Judge Lin said during an earlier round in the lawsuit that the government was trying to "cripple" the company and "chill public debate" over military use of AI.” “Iran has threatened to treat nearby countries as enemies and target their interests if they join a United States campaign to cripple its economy.” Etymology
From Middle English cripel, crepel, crüpel, from Old English crypel (“crippled; a cripple”), from Proto-Germanic krupilaz (“tending to crawl; a cripple”), from Proto-Indo-European grewb- (“to bend, crouch, crawl”), from Proto-Indo-European *ger- (“to bend, twist”), equivalent to creep + -le. Cognate with Dutch kreupel, Low German Kröpel, German Krüppel, Old Norse kryppill.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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