encapsulate

verb

en·​cap·​su·​late in-ˈkap-sə-ˌlāt 

en-

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

encapsulation

in-ˌkap-sə-ˈlā-shən 

en-

noun

Did you know?

We’ll keep it brief by encapsulating the history of this word in just a few sentences. Encapsulate and its related noun, capsule, come to us from capsula, a diminutive form of the Latin noun capsa, meaning “box.” (Capsa also gave us the “container” or “box” meaning of the noun case.) The earliest examples of encapsulate are for its literal use (“to enclose something in a capsule”) and date to the late 19th century. Its extended meaning, “to give a summary or synopsis of something,” plays on the notion of a capsule being something compact, self-contained, and often easily digestible.

Synonyms of encapsulate

• summarize
• outline

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 on the Web

To me, the Rajneesh encapsulated so much of what seemed free and hopeful about the nineteen-seventies and eighties. —Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026

This joke, first delivered by Jimmy Fallon on December 9, perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the host’s Tonight Show monologue jokes. —Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 27 Jan. 2026

And there, the school’s first Heisman Trophy winner finished off the 27-21 victory on Miami’s home field with one powerful, spinning touchdown run that encapsulated Indiana’s fight to the top. —Michael Marot, Chicago Tribune, 25 Jan. 2026

Here, the seafood is done to perfection in a setting that encapsulates perfectly the vibe of Montauk—a place of many flavors. —Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for encapsulate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

encapsulate

verb

en·​cap·​su·​late in-ˈkap-sə-ˌlāt 

encapsulated; encapsulating

1

: to enclose in a capsule

2

: to tell or relate (as a report) in a few words

encapsulation

-ˌkap-sə-ˈlā-shən 

noun

Medical Definition

encapsulate

verb

en·​cap·​su·​late in-ˈkap-sə-ˌlāt 

encapsulated; encapsulating

transitive verb

: to surround, encase, or protect in or as if in a capsule

DNA has been encapsulated in microspheres

—Paul Smaglik

intransitive verb

: to become encapsulated

a bacillus that encapsulates in the human body

encapsulation

-ˌkap-sə-ˈlā-shən 

noun