disable

D2I1S1A1B3L1E1
/dɪsˈeɪbəl/obsolete/dɪzˈeɪbəl/

verb

To render unable; to take away an ability of, as by crippling.

“Falling off the horse disabled him.”

Similar
unabledeactivatedisenablecrippleinvalidincapacitatehandicap
Opposite
enablecapacitatere-enable
OriginEnglish able ← Middle English able ← Old French able →
CommonScrabble 10
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbdisable (third-person singular simple present disables, present participle disabling, simple past and past participle disabled)

present singular third person disables · participle present disabling · participle past disabled · past disabled

  1. transitiveTo render unable; to take away an ability of, as by crippling.
  2. To impair the physical or mental abilities of; to cause a serious, permanent injury.

    Falling off the horse disabled him.

    2 more examples

    Krav is a martial art of last resort that assumes no quarter and focuses purely on disarming, disabling and, if necessary, destroying your opponent.

    2013, Steven McLaughlin, Clubland UK: On the Door in the Rave Era

    Fire ants circumvented the problem of an ineffective sting by having an unusual and highly effective venom that when daubed or sprayed on other ants penetrates their waxy protective integumental barrier and kills or disables them.

    2016, Justin O. Schmidt, The Sting of the Wild, Johns Hopkins University Press, →ISBN, page 102
  3. businessTo deactivate, to make inoperational (especially of a function of an electronic or mechanical device).

    The pilot had to disable the autopilot of his airplane.

    1 more example

    At the end of March 2015 the onboard software configuration of the AGILE satellite was modified in order to disable the veto signal of the anticoincidence shield for the minicalorimeter instrument.

    2016, M. Marisaldi, A. Argan, A. Ursi, T. Gjesteland, F. Fuschino, C. Labanti, M. Galli, M. Tavani, C. Pittori, F. Verrecchia, F. D'Amico, N. Østgaard, S. Mereghetti, R. Campana, P.W. Cattaneo, A. Bulgarelli, S. Colafrancesco, S. Dietrich, F. Longo, F. Gianotti, P. Giommi, A. Rappoldi, M. Trifoglio, A. Trois, “Enhanced detection of terrestrial gamma-ray flashes by AGILE”, in arXiv
adjectivedisable (comparative more disable, superlative most disable)

comparative more disable · superlative most disable

  1. obsoleteLacking ability; unable.

    Our disable and unactive force.

    1595, Samuel Daniel, “(please specify the folio number)”, in The First Fowre Bookes of the Ciuile Wars between the Two Houses of Lancaster and Yorke, London: […] P[eter] Short for Simon Waterson, →OCLC

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
unabledeactivatedisenablecrippleinvalidincapacitate
Opposite
enablecapacitatere-enable
Broader
damagedebilitatedeterioratedevitalizeempayreharmhinderhurtinjureimpairworsen
Narrower
blindblindendeafendisfigurefounderlameparalysemaimmanglemutilatehamstringhockhoughhoxcastratedesexemasculatefixgeldneuterspayunsexdebuffnerf

verbmake unable to perform a certain action

Similar
disenableincapacitate
Opposite
enable
Broader
changealtermodify

verbinjure permanently

Similar
invalidincapacitatehandicap
Broader
injurewound
Also see
crippledisenablehamperhamstringhandicapincapacitateinvalidkilllamenobbleturn off

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
  2. Proto-Indo-European*trísinflu.
  3. Proto-Indo-European*d(w)is-
  4. Proto-Italic*dis-
  5. Latindis-
  6. Old Frenchdes-
  7. Latindis-
  8. Middle Englishdis-
  9. Englishdis-
  10. Proto-Indo-European*gʰeh₁bʰ-
  11. Proto-Indo-European*gʰh₁bʰéh₁yeti
  12. Proto-Italic*haβēō
  13. Latinhabeō
  14. Latinhabilis
  15. Old Frenchable
  16. Middle Englishable
  17. Englishable
  18. Englishdisable

From dis- + able.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans onbekwaam maak, afskakel
  • onbekwaam maakto impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • afskakelto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • deaktiveerto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Basque desaktibatu
  • desaktibatuto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Bulgarian правя неспособен, изключвам
  • правя неспособен (pravja nesposoben)to render unable; to take away the ability
  • изключвам (izključvam)to deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • деактивирам (deaktiviram)to deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Catalan desactivar
  • desactivarto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Czech vypnout, deaktivovat
  • vypnoutto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • deaktivovatto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Dutch onmogelijk maken, uitschakelen
  • onmogelijk makento render unable; to take away the ability
  • uitschakelento deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • deactiverento deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • weigerento deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Esperanto malebligi, senaktivigi
  • malebligito render unable; to take away the ability
  • senaktivigito deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • malaktivigito deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • malŝaltito deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • elŝaltito deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • malvalidigito deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Estonian halvama, sandistama
  • halvamato render unable; to take away the ability
  • sandistamato impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • lukustamato deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • välja lülitamato deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • deaktiveerimato deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Finnish tehdä toimintakyvyttömäksi, lamauttaa
  • tehdä toimintakyvyttömäksito render unable; to take away the ability
  • lamauttaato render unable; to take away the ability
  • estääto render unable; to take away the ability
  • vammauttaato impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • kytkeä pois päältäto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • laittaa pois päältäto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • poistaa käytöstäto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • deaktivoidato deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
French désactiver, empêcher
  • désactiverto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • empêcherto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
German außerstand setzen, außerstande setzen
  • außerstand setzento render unable; to take away the ability
  • außerstande setzento render unable; to take away the ability
  • außer Stand setzento render unable; to take away the ability
  • außer Stande setzento render unable; to take away the ability
  • behindernto impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • deaktivierento deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • abschaltento deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Greek απενεργοποιώ
  • απενεργοποιώ (apenergopoió)to deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Hindi अक्षम, विकलांग
  • अक्षम (akṣam)to render unable; to take away the ability
  • विकलांग (viklāṅg)to impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • अपाहिज (apāhij)to impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • निष्क्रिय करना (niṣkriya karnā)to deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Hungarian megbénít, elgyengít
  • megbénítto render unable; to take away the ability
  • elgyengítto render unable; to take away the ability
  • használhatatlanná teszto render unable; to take away the ability
  • munkaképtelenné teszto impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • megnyomorítto impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • megbénítto impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • kikapcsolto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • deaktiválto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • inaktiválto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • letiltto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • kiiktatto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • üzemen kívül helyezto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Indonesian mematikan, menonaktifkan
  • mematikanto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • menonaktifkanto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • mendisfungsikanto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Italian disabilitare, disattivare
  • disabilitareto render unable; to take away the ability
  • disattivareto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • disabilitareto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Japanese 無力化する, 無効にする
  • 無力化する (muryoku-ka suru)to render unable; to take away the ability
  • 無効にする (mukō ni suru)to deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Latin dēbilitō
  • dēbilitōto render unable; to take away the ability
Latvian izslēgt, atspējot
  • izslēgtto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • atspējotto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Lithuanian išjungti
  • išjungtito deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Malay mematikan, menyahaktifkan
  • mematikanto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • menyahaktifkanto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Māori whakakaurapa, whakahauā
  • whakakaurapato render unable; to take away the ability
  • whakahauāto impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • monoto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Norwegian passivisere, utmanøvrere
  • passivisereto render unable; to take away the ability
  • utmanøvrereto render unable; to take away the ability
  • sette ut av stand tilto render unable; to take away the ability
  • deaktivereto render unable; to take away the ability
  • funksjonshemmeto impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • gjøre funksjonshemmetto impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • deaktivereto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Polish dezaktywować, zdezaktywować
  • dezaktywowaćto render unable; to take away the ability
  • zdezaktywowaćto render unable; to take away the ability
  • wyłączaćto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • wyłączyćto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • dezaktywowaćto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • zdezaktywowaćto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • blokowaćto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • zablokowaćto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Portuguese desabilitar, aleijar
  • desabilitarto render unable; to take away the ability
  • aleijarto impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • incapacitarto impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • desabilitarto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • desativarto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • desligarto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Romanian dezactiva
  • dezactivato deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Russian де́лать неспосо́бным, кале́чить
  • де́лать неспосо́бным (délatʹ nesposóbnym)to render unable; to take away the ability
  • кале́чить (kaléčitʹ)to impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • покале́чить (pokaléčitʹ)to impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • деактиви́ровать (deaktivírovatʹ)to deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • отключа́ть (otključátʹ)to deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • выключа́ть (vyključátʹ)to deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Slovak vypnúť, deaktivovať
  • vypnúťto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • deaktivovaťto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Spanish inutilizar, incapacitar
  • inutilizarto render unable; to take away the ability
  • incapacitarto impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • discapacitarto impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • mutilarto impair the physical or mental abilities of
  • desactivarto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • deshabilitarto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Swahili kuzima
  • kuzimato deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Swedish sätta ur stånd, inaktivera
  • sätta ur ståndto render unable; to take away the ability
  • inaktiverato deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • avaktiverato deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Turkish devre dışı bırakmak
  • devre dışı bırakmakto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Ukrainian деактивувати, вимикати
  • деактивувати (deaktyvuvaty)to deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • вимикати (vymykaty)to deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
  • відключати (vidključaty)to deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device
Urdu بند کرنا
  • بند کرناto deactivate a function of an electronic or mechanical device

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with disable

tableablecablelabelenableunablestableunstablefablesablebabelMabelgablevtablebistablechaebolrelabelastablechange tablechanging tablediaper tabledrink tableinablekettle cable
All rhymes →

Anagrams

labsidebasiled
Cite this entry
APA

disable. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disable

MLA

“disable.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disable. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “disable,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disable.

Source: disable on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.