encapsulate

verb en·cap·su·late \ in-ˈkap-sə-ˌlāt , en- \

|Updated on: 9 Jun 2018

Examples: encapsulate in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of encapsulate

encapsulated; encapsulating

transitive verb

1 : to enclose in or as if in a capsule

a pilot encapsulated in the cockpit

2 : epitomize, summarize

encapsulate an era in an aphorism

intransitive verb

: to become encapsulated

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encapsulation

play \in-ˌkap-sə-ˈlā-shən, en-\ noun

See encapsulate defined for English-language learners

See encapsulate defined for kids

encapsulate was our Word of the Day on 12/05/2017. Hear the podcast!

Examples of encapsulate in a Sentence

The contaminated material should be encapsulated and removed.
can you encapsulate the president's speech in about a paragraph?

Recent Examples of encapsulate from the Web

Creamy pasta is encapsulated in a crispy shell topped with pecorino cheese in this Wine Bar George small plate.

— lauren delgado, OrlandoSentinel.com, "First bite: Wine Bar George in Disney Springs," 1 June 2018
Keira Knightley, Helen Mirren, Luke Wilson, Diego Luna, Jenna Dewan and Dianna Agron are attached to this film that encapsulates 10 love stories against the German background.

— erin jensen, USA TODAY, "9 movies romance junkies need to see this year," 4 May 2018
Following this somewhat unexpected foray into fashion, she’s now released an EP, Glitter, which encapsulates a period of healing for the artist.

— rachel hahn, Vogue, "070 Shake Talks About Her Tomboyish Style—And Her Signature Dog Chain," 14 Apr. 2018
Every so often a new phrase emerges that encapsulates the cunning Caucasian ability to keep power and dominance within their clutches by painting themselves as the oppressed class.

— michael harriot, The Root, "‘Diversity of Thought’ Is Just a Euphemism for ‘White Supremacy’," 12 Apr. 2018
The most inexpensive microchips sold by Dangerous Things are encapsulated in biosafe glass and are inserted in the skin between the thumb and index finger.

— yael grauer, Ars Technica, "A practical guide to microchip implants," 3 Jan. 2018
But Mother's Day can't be encapsulated by a single transaction, because everything the holiday symbolizes — motherhood, and mother-child relationships — is more complicated than that.

— refinery29.com, "The Most Heartbreaking Movies About Motherhood," 9 May 2018
Perhaps more than anything, the Kusama spectacle encapsulates how museums balance the vulnerability of art with the imperative to share it as many viewers as possible.

— steven litt, cleveland.com, "Kusama 'Infinity Mirrors' show in Toronto offers preview of what's coming to Cleveland (photos)," 6 May 2018
That was inevitably greeted by a face somewhere between a wince and eager anticipation, an expression that perfectly encapsulated how many people felt about the Emmy-winning drama's first season.

— daniel fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, "'The Handmaid's Tale' Season 2: TV Review," 16 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'encapsulate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Encapsulate and its related noun, "capsule," derive from "capsula," a diminutive form of the Latin noun capsa, meaning "box." "Capsa" also gave us our noun "case" (the container kind; the legal sense has a different origin). The original sense of encapsulate, meaning "to enclose something in a capsule," first appeared in the late 19th century. Its extended meaning, "to give a summary or synopsis of something," plays on the notion of a capsule as something compact, self-contained, and often easily digestible (as in a capsule of medicine). There is also a verb "capsule," which is more or less synonymous with "encapsulate."

First Known Use of encapsulate

1872

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

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encapsulate Synonyms

Synonyms

abstract, boil down, digest, epitomize, outline, recap, recapitulate, sum up, summarize, wrap up;

Near Antonyms

elongate, extend, lengthen, prolong, protract;

amplify, elaborate (on or upon), enlarge (on or upon), expand, supplement;

downsize, shrink;

concentrate, consolidate;

simplify, streamline;

ENCAPSULATE Defined for English Language Learners

encapsulate

verb

Definition of encapsulate for English Language Learners

: to show or express the main idea or quality of (something) in a brief way
: to completely cover (something) especially so that it will not touch anything else