disabled
gb/dɪsˈeɪbəld/ us/dɪsˈeɪbəld/
B1
English
~ 2700
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
state
1
Having a condition that limits abilities
Not able to use part of your body or mind fully because of an illness or injury.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is disabled
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'disabled' with 'unable'; 'disabled' refers to a long-term condition, not a temporary inability.
Synonyms
handicapped (Older term; now considered outdated or offensive in many contexts.)
|
impaired (More formal or technical; can refer to specific functions (e.g., 'visually impaired').)
Antonyms
able-bodied (Refers to someone without physical disabilities.)
Collocations
disabled person
|physically disabled
|mentally disabled
|disabled access
|disabled community
Themes
health
|society
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The city has improved public transport for disabled passengers.
- She works for a charity that supports disabled veterans.
- Disabled athletes competed in the international games.
- The government offers financial assistance to disabled citizens.
Learner examples
- My uncle is disabled and uses a wheelchair.
- They built a ramp for disabled people.
- The park has special parking for disabled visitors.
adjective
technical
B2
state
2
Inactive or unusable state
Turned off or made not able to work.
Usage pattern:
[something] is disabled
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'disabled' with 'broken'; 'disabled' can be a reversible state, while 'broken' usually means damaged.
Synonyms
deactivated (Often used in technical or official contexts to mean turned off or made inactive.)
|
turned off (Informal; used for simple devices or functions.)
Antonyms
enabled (Opposite in technical contexts; means something is turned on or active.)
Collocations
disabled account
|disabled feature
|disabled device
|disabled alarm
Themes
technology
|security
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The account was disabled after too many failed login attempts.
- He disabled the alarm before entering the building.
- This option is currently disabled in the software settings.
Learner examples
- My phone is disabled after I entered the wrong code.
- The website account was disabled.
- I disabled the sound on my computer.
Grammar
Dictionary form
disabled
IPA
GB/dɪsˈeɪbəld/
US/dɪsˈeɪbəld/
Syllables & stress
dis - abled (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (abled)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: disabled
Word family
Expressions
disabled access
1/dɪsˈeɪbəld ˈæksˌɛs/
fixed phrase
Facilities for people with disabilities
Special ways into and around a place for people with disabilities.
Examples
- The new library has excellent disabled access.
- Disabled access is required by law in public buildings.
disabled list
1/dɪsˈeɪbəld lˈɪst/
fixed phrase
technical
List of injured sports players
A list of players who cannot play because they are hurt.
Examples
- The pitcher was placed on the disabled list after the injury.
- He spent two weeks on the disabled list before returning to play.