crippling
adj.adj. causing so much damage or difficulty that something cannot work or move properly. You use it to describe a very serious problem that stops all progress.
adj. causing a severe and disabling effect; depriving of strength, efficiency, or the ability to function. Often used to describe economic conditions, physical injuries, or emotional states.
The company faced crippling debts after the market crashed.
A crippling snowstorm brought the entire city's public transport system to a complete standstill for three days.
The nation struggled to recover from the crippling economic sanctions, which had effectively severed its access to international banking and halted most industrial production.
Typically used attributively before a noun to emphasize the severity of a negative condition.