What does "disability" mean?
A condition characterised by a significant limitation in a person's physical or intellectual powers or ability.
Disability
/dɪsəˈbɪlɪti/ noun, slang
noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A condition characterised by a significant limitation in a person's physical or intellectual powers or ability.
- Grammar: disability is listed as noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: impairment, abnormality, acute disease, affection.
- Useful contrasts: ability, ability to work, access.
- Usage evidence: Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
How to use "disability"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "disability" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "disability" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "disability" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "disability" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "disability" is acting as noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "impairment" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "disability", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A condition characterised by a significant limitation in a person's physical or intellectual powers or ability. countable
"people with disabilities"
- 2 the condition of being unable to perform as a consequence of physical or mental unfitness wordnet
- 3 The state of having such a condition; the state of being disabled. uncountable
"While physical and sensory disability is usually identified by asking a subject what he or she can or cannot do (with or without assistance), cognitive disability is assessed with a test such as a mental status questionnaire (MSQ)."
- 4 A limitation in function (the things that a person can do or achieve) that is driven by any combination of their impairments (the medical facts about them) and the imperfect state of society's inaccessibility that sometimes fails to accommodate their needs. countable
- 5 An inability. countable, obsolete
"Grossest faults, or disabilities to perform what was covenanted."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A lack of legal qualification to do something; legal incapacity or incompetency. countable
- 7 Regular payments received by a disabled person, usually from the state. informal, uncountable
"I had to go on disability after the accident."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "disability"?
Common synonyms include: impairment, abnormality, acute disease, affection, affliction, ailment.
How do you use "disability" in a sentence?
Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
How do you pronounce "disability"?
Pronounced /dɪsəˈbɪlɪti/.
Etymology
Circa 1570 disable + -ity.