disable
dihs-AY-buhl
Disable (verb) means to take away someone's ability to do something, especially by injuring them. Example: “The stroke disabled him on one side of his body.”
verb
1
To take away someone's ability to do something, especially by injuring them.
"The stroke disabled him on one side of his body."
"A serious knee injury disabled the star player for the season."
2
To turn off or deactivate a function, especially on a device or system.
"You can disable notifications in the settings menu."
"The technician disabled the alarm before entering the building."
How to use disable
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo make something or someone unable to function, whether that's a body, a machine, or a feature.
Common pairings
disable a feature
disable an account
permanently disabled
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like disable.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Third person singular
- disables
- Past tense
- disabled
- Comparative
- more disable
- Superlative
- most disable
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The stroke _____ him on one side of his body.
Etymology
From dis- ("not, opposite of") plus able, tracing back through Old French to Latin habilis, "manageable."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for disable
See all rhymes for disable →Frequently asked questions
What does “disable” mean?
The word “disable” means to take away someone's ability to do something, especially by injuring them. In plain terms, to make something or someone unable to function, whether that's a body, a machine, or a feature.
How do you pronounce “disable”?
“Disable” is pronounced dihs-AY-buhl (/dɪsˈeɪbəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “disable” in a sentence?
Here is “disable” used in a sentence: “The stroke disabled him on one side of his body.”
What is another word for “disable”?
Words with a similar meaning to “disable” include unable, deactivate, disenable, cripple and incapacitate.
What is the opposite of “disable”?
The opposite of “disable” — its antonyms — are enable, capacitate and re-enable.
What part of speech is “disable”?
“Disable” is a verb.
Where does the word “disable” come from?
The word “disable” comes from Latin. From dis- ("not, opposite of") plus able, tracing back through Old French to Latin habilis, "manageable.".
Is “disable” a common word?
“Disable” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
