English Reference
adjective

crippled

adj.
US /ˈkɹɪpəɫd/ UK /kɹˈɪpəld/ crip·pled

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    damaged so badly that it cannot work or function properly.

    rendered unable to function or operate effectively due to severe damage or systemic failure.

    Simple

    The city's crippled power grid left thousands of people without heat during the storm.

    In context

    The company struggled to recover from a crippled supply chain after the main factory was forced to close unexpectedly.

It was meant to bring an end to more than three months of war that had killed thousands and crippled commercial movement in the Gulf, especially oil and gas exports relied on globally.

Al Jazeera· 16 Aug 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated