# crippling

/ˈkɹɪpəɫɪŋ/ (US) · /kɹˈɪplɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/crippling
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 3. the act of harming

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal

the act of causing serious damage or making someone unable to move.

For teachers: the action or process of causing someone or something to become incapacitated or severely damaged.

- The crippling of the enemy's communication lines was a key part of the plan.
- The systematic crippling of the local infrastructure led to a total collapse of essential services during the winter.

## Examples

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.