dis·abled
dis-ˈā-bəld
diz-ˈā-
1
a
: impaired or limited by a physical, mental, cognitive, or developmental condition : affected by disability
Decades of government policy and a Supreme Court decision … have established that public services for all disabled people must be provided in the least restrictive and most integrated environment possible.—Sallie Tisdale
For disabled travelers—or anyone nursing an injury—successful trips require planning. … Rugged or remote areas may require some give and take on your part, including physical assistance or workarounds.—Linda Burbank
… 4,000 disabled athletes from 125 nations competing in 18 sports.—John Shaw
b
: incapacitated by illness or injury
… 17.4% of all match-ending injuries, were attributable to OT (orthopedic trauma). Two such stoppages involved multiple roundhouse kicks directed at the lateral aspect of the knee. The disabled competitors were unable to continue because of marked pain with weight bearing.—George J. Buse and Robert M. Wood
2
of a device or mechanism
: rendered inoperative (as by being damaged or deliberately altered)
a disabled alarm
They would have pulled out but they were waiting on the Iraqi police to finish their report and there was the issue of the disabled fuel truck …—David Abrams
disabled
2 of 2past tense and past participle of disable
Cite this Entry
“Disabled.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disabled. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.
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