crippling C2 Topic:Describing Qualities US /ˈkrɪpəlɪŋ/ See IPA manual Freq #23984 Meanings 1 adj Causing serious harm, damage, or a problem too big to overcome. The company was struggling under crippling debt. 2 adj Causing someone to lose the use of their body or to be severely injured. A crippling injury ended her athletic career. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 adj · causing serious harm,... disablingincapacitating 2 adj · causing someone to lose the... disablingincapacitating Word family Derived forms cripplingly Appears in Phrases (1) See all crippling injury physical damage that severely reduces a person's ability to move or function Adjective + noun Topics Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives External links Google Images Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary # crippling **Type:** Word **Level:** C2 **Part of speech:** adj **IPA (US):** /ˈkrɪpəlɪŋ/ **Frequency rank:** 23984 ## Meanings 1. Causing serious harm, damage, or a problem too big to overcome. 2. Causing someone to lose the use of their body or to be severely injured. ## Examples - The company was struggling under crippling debt. - A crippling injury ended her athletic career. ## Derived Forms - cripplingly ## Topics - Describing Qualities - Word Formation & Derivatives markdown