Disability

/dɪsəˈbɪlɪti/

Synonyms for "disability" (131 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (27)

Noun(4 words)
impairmentbarrierbeing unable to workcrippling
abnormalityacute diseaseaffectionafflictionailmentallergic diseaseallergyatrophybacterial diseasebirth defectblightcardiovascular diseasechronic diseasecirculatory diseasecomplaintcomplicationconditioncongenital defectdefectdeficiency disease
Show 3 more words
deformitydegenerative diseasedetriment

Strong matches (39)

Noun(11 words)
disablementdisadvantagediseasedisorderdisqualificationdistemperdrawbackendemicendemic diseaseendocrine diseaseepidemic diseasefunctional diseasefungus diseasegastrointestinal diseasegenetic diseasehandicaphelplessnesshereditary diseaseiatrogenic diseaseillness
Show 7 more words
Adjective(1 words)
functional impairment

Related words (65)

Show 31 more words
occupational diseaseorganic diseasepandemic diseasepathological conditionpathologypipplant diseasepowerlessnessprotozoan diseasepsychosomatic diseaserespiratory diseaserockinesssecondary diseaseseedinesssickishnesssicknesssignsignssymptomsymptomatologysymptomologysymptomssyndromethe piptroubleunfitnessurogenital diseasevirus diseasewardshipwasting diseaseworm disease
Noun(12 words)
incapacityinvalidinginvalidismlaminglimitationmaimingmarginalizationpolicy categoryrights categorysensory impairmentwere unable to workwork incapacity
Determiner(1 words)
no capacity for work
Adjective(1 words)
unable to work now

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: impairment, abnormality, acute disease, affection, affliction.
  • Sentence evidence is available for disability, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.

Synonym selection checklist

  • Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
  • Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
  • Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "disability".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "disability"

Keep "disability" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "disability" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "disability", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "disability" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

5 relation types

More general

5 entries
functional limitationhealth conditionsocial categorysoftnessunfitness

More specific

10 entries
accommodation rightsarchitectural barrierattitudinal barrierbenefits eligibilitydisability ratinghearing disabilityintellectual disabilitymobility disabilityparticipation restrictionvisual disability

Collocations

5 entries
disability benefitsdisability insurancedisability policydisability rightsdisability studies

Inflections

1 entries

Derivations

1 entries

Sample sentences

16 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

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.

Source: tatoeba (554873)

It seems as if dishonorable, labyrinthine, deliberately confusing economic policies have earned more support from the president than every physical and mental disability combined.

Source: tatoeba (813087)

The World Health Organization says alcohol abuse is the third leading cause of death and disability in the world.

Source: tatoeba (1141313)

I have a disability.

Source: tatoeba (2358696)

Showing 4 of 16 available sentences.

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "disability"?

Closest matches include impairment, abnormality, acute disease, affection, affliction.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "disability"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "disability"