incapacitate
verb
in·ca·pac·i·tate
ˌin-kə-ˈpa-sə-ˌtāt 
incapacitated; incapacitating
Synonyms
Examples of incapacitate in a Sentence
The class teaches you how to incapacitate an attacker.
The stroke left her completely incapacitated.
He was incapacitated by the pain.
a computer system incapacitated by software problems
Recent Examples on the Web
These often-invisible afflictions can effectively incapacitate you or, at least, impede your ability to enjoy all kinds of things other people take for granted.
—
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2024
Deputy First Class Stefano Gargano, armed with a ballistics shield, was struck with multiple high-caliber rounds through a wall, incapacitating him, according to Grinnell.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 7 Aug. 2024
As just one example, farms nationwide would likely be incapacitated in harvesting produce and livestock without the 283,000 undocumented workers who currently comprise 45 percent of the U.S. agricultural workforce.
—Gary Stix, Scientific American, 10 Oct. 2024
On September 17, the detonation of thousands of pagers incapacitated hundreds of senior members of the Shiite terrorist organization.
—Ari Shavit, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for incapacitate 
Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2024
Deputy First Class Stefano Gargano, armed with a ballistics shield, was struck with multiple high-caliber rounds through a wall, incapacitating him, according to Grinnell.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 7 Aug. 2024
As just one example, farms nationwide would likely be incapacitated in harvesting produce and livestock without the 283,000 undocumented workers who currently comprise 45 percent of the U.S. agricultural workforce.
—Gary Stix, Scientific American, 10 Oct. 2024
On September 17, the detonation of thousands of pagers incapacitated hundreds of senior members of the Shiite terrorist organization.
—Ari Shavit, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for incapacitate
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'incapacitate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near incapacitate
Cite this Entry
“Incapacitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incapacitate. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
incapacitate
verb
in·ca·pac·i·tate
ˌin-kə-ˈpas-ə-ˌtāt
incapacitated; incapacitating
: to make incapable : disable
Legal Definition
incapacitate
transitive verb
in·ca·pac·i·tate
ˌin-kə-ˈpa-sə-ˌtāt
incapacitated; incapacitating
1
: to make legally incapable or ineligible
mental illness alone will not incapacitate a person from making a valid contract—Landmark Med. Ctr. v. Gauthier, 635 A.2d 1145 (1994)
Landmark Med. Ctr. v. Gauthier, 635 A.2d 1145 (1994)2
: to deprive of capacity or natural power
an injury that incapacitates the employee
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