incapacitate

play

verb in·ca·pac·i·tate \ˌin-kə-ˈpa-sə-ˌtāt\

Definition of incapacitate

incapacitated

;

incapacitating

transitive verb
1 : to make legally incapable or ineligible
2 : to deprive of capacity or natural power : disable

incapacitation

play \ˌin-kə-ˌpa-sə-ˈtā-shən\ noun

See incapacitate defined for English-language learners

See incapacitate defined for kids

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 of incapacitate from the Web

According to The Star, the victim alleges she was incapacitated at the time of her assault — unable to move or stop her alleged attackers.

— brittney mcnamara, Teen Vogue, "Why You Can't Always Consent to Sex If You're Drunk", 21 June 2017
Constand says there was no romantic relationship and that Cosby gave her pills that incapacitated her and then assaulted her.

— hannah rappleye, NBC News, "Bill Cosby Jury Examines His Deposition During Sexual Assault Deliberations", 13 June 2017
Johnson, who worked at the William Morris talent agency, said that Cosby gave her a pill that incapacitated her and then sexually assaulted her in 1996.

— eric levenson and lawrence crook iii, CNN, "Jurors deliberate for a 2nd day in Bill Cosby's indecent assault trial", 13 June 2017
The 7.62-millimeter round is larger than the current 5.56-millimeter round and more likely to both penetrate the body armor of enemy soldiers and incapacitate them.

— kyle mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Three Rifles That Could Replace the Army's M4A1 Carbine", 31 May 2017
Godbolt, who'd already killed eight people, was rendered incapacitated, but just enough to be placed in custody, and Pettigrew was talked down from what appears to have been a mental breakdown.

— charles p. pierce, Esquire, "Both of Them Had Toy Guns. Why Is Only One Alive?", 31 May 2017
The benefit of experience can be offset when illness incapacitates elderly leaders.

— michael cohen, Bloomberg.com, "Ailing African Presidents Leave Nations in Leadership Limbo", 30 May 2017
Because of the work of our officers, violent criminals are being incapacitated.

— guest columnist, NOLA.com, "New tools, new technology and new recruits are making NOPD more effective: Opinion", 26 May 2017
Two passengers were taken to Hillcrest Hospital with non-incapacitating injuries following an early morning two-car crash on the Interstate May 21 that sent them head-on into a concrete barrier wall on the South Woodland Road bridge.

— thomas jewell, cleveland.com, "City deals with first homicide since 1995: Pepper Pike police blotter", 26 May 2017

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

First Known Use of incapacitate

1657

INCAPACITATE Defined for English Language Learners

incapacitate

play

verb

Definition of incapacitate for English Language Learners

: to make (someone or something) unable to work, move, or function in the usual way

Law Dictionary

incapacitate

play

transitive verb in·ca·pac·i·tate \ˌin-kə-ˈpa-sə-ˌtāt\

Legal Definition of incapacitate

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)
2 : to deprive of capacity or natural power an injury that incapacitates the employee