incapacitate
verb
in·ca·pac·i·tate
ˌin-kə-ˈpa-sə-ˌtāt 
incapacitated; incapacitating
1
: to deprive of capacity or natural power : disable
an injury that incapacitated her
learned how to incapacitate an attacker
2
: to make legally incapable or ineligible
Infancy does not incapacitate the infant from bringing the action …—
Henry v. City of New York, 724 N.E.2d 372 (1999)
Henry v. City of New York, 724 N.E.2d 372 (1999)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
Will is taken to Hawkins Lab at the top of the episode after another burn inside the Upside Down leaves him incapacitated.
—Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Nov. 2025
According to Matty, Phil is still alive — something a commenter wondered a few weeks back — but incapacitated.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025
As the Hackman case demonstrates, if a caregiver is suddenly incapacitated, the older adult may be left in immediate danger.
—Kahli Zietlow, The Conversation, 18 Nov. 2025
He is accused of slipping incapacitating drugs into victims’ food or drinks before assaulting them between 2021 and 2024.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incapacitate
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Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Nov. 2025
According to Matty, Phil is still alive — something a commenter wondered a few weeks back — but incapacitated.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025
As the Hackman case demonstrates, if a caregiver is suddenly incapacitated, the older adult may be left in immediate danger.
—Kahli Zietlow, The Conversation, 18 Nov. 2025
He is accused of slipping incapacitating drugs into victims’ food or drinks before assaulting them between 2021 and 2024.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for incapacitate
Cite this Entry
“Incapacitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incapacitate. Accessed 2 Dec. 2025.
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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