encapsulate

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

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

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

The juxtaposition of the departing GOP leader welcoming a Democrat who won a stunning special election upset last month will briefly encapsulate Republicans’ growing fear of a coming political wipeout this fall.

— jonathan tamari, Philly.com, "Paul Ryan's retirement echoes GOP departures from Philadelphia region," 11 Apr. 2018
The image of the industry, encapsulated by Dog the Bounty Hunter chasing down outlaws on television, is one of danger and high stakes.

— Anchorage Daily News, "When freedom feels like extortion: Bail bondsmen accused of exploiting poor clients," 31 Mar. 2018
The family built two dogtrot cabins that are encapsulated within the Spring Run House.

— taylor m. riley, The Courier-Journal, "This Kentucky log cabin was transformed into a charming bed and breakfast inn. Take a tour," 29 Mar. 2018
Ultimately, the way the Billions universe will adjust to the real universe is encapsulated, quite perfectly, in a scene from the first episode.

— refinery29.com, "Is Donald Trump The President In The Billions Universe?," 26 Mar. 2018
In retrospect, this would seem to encapsulate the existence of Journey Through the Past and Young’s resolute inability to go with the flow of public approval.

— morgan enos, Billboard, "Before Watching Neil Young in 'Paradox,' Check Out These 'Bernard Shakey' Productions," 23 Mar. 2018
But what color palette and scent would be encapsulate the resistance?

— kathleen hou, The Cut, "This Beauty Company Is Trying to Trademark #MeToo," 17 Jan. 2018
This early scene encapsulates the dichotomy constantly at play in Trust: such enormous wealth, contrasted with such astounding miserliness.

— refinery29.com, "Was J. Paul Getty Really That Cheap?," 26 Mar. 2018
And that really encapsulates one of the problems that the White House has had, that the president has had in trying to bolster this legal team.

— Fox News, "March for Our Lives organizers send message to Congress," 25 Mar. 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

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