crippling love

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "crippling love" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a love that is overwhelming or debilitating, often causing emotional distress or hardship. Example: "Her crippling love for him made it difficult for her to focus on anything else in her life."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Similarly biographical in approach, "The Invention of Love" at least told of the life and thwarted, emotionally crippling love of a poet who is a household name in Britain, A.E. Housman.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

It was an intimate, touching moment that wistfully captured the crippling power of love and why perfection is never a wise goal.

Huffington Post

None of the lovers can overcome the crippling prohibitions against their love.

The New Yorker

Fear itself without curiosity and love is crippling".

Huffington Post

Which leads me to my next point... 2. Some people have been lucky enough to have never lived with crippling insecurities and learned to love themselves early on.

Huffington Post

Okay, we get it, you're going for the washed-out, Courtney Love circa her crippling addictions look, and well done, you've nailed it!

Vice

It is a story of love amid a crippling disease, a triumphant wedding ceremony aboard a chartered medical jet on the tarmac in Baltimore, and then a legal battle over whether Obergefell's three-month marriage to a dying John Arthur would be recognized on a piece of paper after he was gone.

Los Angeles Times

His is a story of love amid a crippling disease, a triumphant wedding ceremony aboard a chartered medical jet on the tarmac in Baltimore, and then a legal battle over whether Obergefell's three-month marriage to a dying John Arthur would be recognized on a piece of paper after he was gone.

Los Angeles Times

Celebs, who may or may not have crippling January tax bills, tepid love-lives or a blinding desire for public attention, smothered in fake tan and sequins, begging for your vote.

Independent

They pick themselves up after defeat … They do not suffer from the crippling need to be universally loved … The great leaders I have known have been curiously complicated men.This view of the leader as complicated is supported by the personality of some undeniably great leaders, such as Napoleon and Winston Churchill.

The Economist

"It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry" is an incredibly honest and excoriating expression of the crippling, self-defeating guilt of the love-cheat.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "crippling love" to describe a love that significantly hinders a person's ability to function normally or make rational decisions. It implies a love that is more of a burden than a blessing.

Common error

Avoid using "crippling love" in situations where the love is merely strong or passionate. The phrase should be reserved for instances where the love has genuinely debilitating effects.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "crippling love" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "crippling" modifies the noun "love". It describes a specific type of love characterized by its overwhelming and debilitating nature. As evidenced by Ludwig, this phrase is used to describe love that is destructive or emotionally paralyzing.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "crippling love" is a phrase used to describe a love that is overwhelming and debilitating, often leading to negative consequences. Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is grammatically correct and can be used to describe a love that is more of a burden than a blessing. It is most commonly found in news and media contexts. While there are alternative phrases to convey similar meanings, such as "debilitating love" or "overwhelming love", it's crucial to reserve "crippling love" for situations where the love has genuinely debilitating effects. Overall, while grammatically sound, its strong connotation warrants careful consideration of the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

debilitating love

Emphasizes the weakening or exhausting effect of love.

overwhelming love

Highlights the overpowering and intense nature of love.

consuming love

Focuses on love that completely absorbs one's thoughts and actions.

paralyzing love

Suggests that love can immobilize or prevent action.

suffocating love

Implies that love is restrictive and oppressive.

destructive love

Highlights the potential for love to cause harm or ruin.

obsessive love

Focuses on love that is fixated and irrational.

tormenting love

Emphasizes the painful and distressing aspects of love.

devastating love

Highlights the sorrowful and shattering effect of love.

unhealthy love

Suggests the love is detrimental to one or both partners.

FAQs

How can "crippling love" affect someone?

A "crippling love" can lead to emotional distress, dependence, and an inability to focus on other aspects of life. It often involves an unhealthy level of attachment.

What are some alternatives to "crippling love"?

You can use alternatives like "debilitating love", "overwhelming love", or "obsessive love" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "crippling love" always negative?

While the term generally carries a negative connotation, it can also be used to describe a love that is so powerful it overshadows everything else, even if not explicitly harmful. But most of the time highlights a destructive kind of love.

What distinguishes "crippling love" from normal love?

"Crippling love" differs from normal love by its intensity and its detrimental impact on one's well-being and daily life. Normal love enhances life, while "crippling love" hinders it.