forbidden word: disabled
disabled
disabled, adj
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physically or mentally impaired, injured, or incapacitated.
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not working or operating properly, or at all; incapable or made incapable of functioning: They called the Coast Guard to tow the disabled boat to shore.
This feature is normally disabled on company computers.
They called the Coast Guard to tow the disabled boat to shore.
disabled, noun
Sensitive Note
Disabled is a comprehensive umbrella term to describe people or communities of people who live with functional limitations in carrying out major life activities, such as walking, lifting, seeing, or learning. When should disabled be used to describe someone? First, in many cases, there is no need to mention disability; it is often not relevant to the information being conveyed. In most cases, when disabilities are mentioned, it is preferable to name the person’s specific physical or mental condition, like diabetes or traumatic brain injury. However, when addressing an issue that affects the larger community of people living with such functional limitations in daily activities, for example, when discussing accessibility in the workplace, disabled and disability are the appropriate terms. Some people prefer person-first constructions like “a person with a disability” to emphasize the whole person, not defined exclusively by living with a disability. Others use identity-first language like “a disabled person” to center the disability as an important aspect of identity and push back on the presupposition that disability is inherently negative, unmentionable, or something to be politely ignored. Following similar logic, the euphemisms “special,” “challenged,” “differently abled,” and “handicapable” are not recommended. The straightforward, simple, and descriptive term disabled is preferred.
Usage
Nowadays it is better to refer to people with physical disabilities of various kinds by describing the specific difficulty in question rather than talking about the disabled as a group, which is considered somewhat offensive. Some people also object to the word disabled to refer to facilities for people with disabilites, and prefer the word accessible
Other Word Forms
- nondisabled noun
- semidisabled adjective
- undisabled adjective
Etymology
Origin of disabled
First recorded in 1625–35; disable + -ed 2
Related Words
from — Definition of disabled. (n.d.).
~ ~ ~
Sentences containing the word: disabled
‘I changed my will to deter vultures’: I’m in my 60s and disabled.
From MarketWatch
Thirty-eight percent of Stanford University undergrads identify as disabled—that’s according to records from Stanford’s own Office of Accessible Education.
From The Wall Street Journal
The law on access to businesses and restaurants for disabled people with assistance dogs is ambiguous.
From BBC
But starting March 5, customer accounts in those regions will be in withdrawal-only mode, and creation of new accounts and incentive programs will be disabled.
From Barron’s
The 56 day move-on period pilot was, however, extended for those deemed vulnerable – including pregnant women, families with children and disabled people.
From BBC
from — Definition of disabled. (n.d.).
February 10th, 2026
Hudson Valley, New York
This is one of the words/ phrases you can’t say in the new Trump Regime. See a comprehensive list at the Forbidden Words Project.
image: no ice is safe ice © Holly Troy 2026
There’s nothing “free” about banning words or ideas.
from — Connelly, E. A. (2025, December 22). Federal Government’s Growing Banned Words List Is Chilling Act of Censorship. PEN America.
Climate Science Legal Defense Fund
see Silencing Science Tracker — https://silencingscience.org/
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Disabled people / are differently abled / and are people still
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