INCAPACITATE Synonyms: 104 Similar and Opposite Words

incapacitate

verb

ˌin-kə-ˈpa-sə-ˌtāt

Definition of incapacitate

as in to paralyze

to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move the malfunctioning of a single component can incapacitate the engine

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to cripple

to cause severe or permanent injury to the stroke left her completely incapacitated

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of incapacitate The Vatican has no specific rules on how the leadership of the Catholic Church is transferred should the pope be incapacitated. — Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026 Medical advances and popes’ longer lifespans, however, have highlighted this gap in church law and prompted calls for the Vatican to prepare for a pope becoming too ill or incapacitated to govern. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 Levin said that nothing could justify Lewie’s firing several shots at McConnell after he was incapacitated on the ground. — Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2026 Verity follows Lowen Ashleigh (played by Dakota Johnson), a struggling writer hired to finish the bestselling book series of renowned author Verity Crawford after an accident leaves her incapacitated. — Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for incapacitate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for incapacitate

Verb

Ukraine showed Trump how easily an enemy could cripple an AI powerhouse.

— , FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
He is crippled by doubt, convinced that others are gaining on him.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of cripple

Verb

At least one person died and more than a dozen were injured in a major Ukrainian drone strike yesterday on Saint Petersburg, Russia's former imperial capital.

— Brittney Melton, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026
Continue reading … NATION IN MOURNING — Canadian service members killed, 19 critically injured after fire rips through base.

— , FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of injure

Verb

Iran appears to be targeting commercial vessels conducting oil transfers to try to undermine vessels' ability to move energy through the strait, the Institute for the Study of War said Tuesday.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
Despite the tension, Humphries rejected the suggestion that the issue would have undermined the chemistry behind her Olympic gold medals.

— Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of undermine

Verb

Doctors in Aleppo later reported a pattern of regime snipers shooting to maim civilians, rather than to kill them—partly to maximize suffering, partly to invite rescue attempts.

— Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Through its stance, the NHL bears a share of responsibility for the people killed and maimed in Russia’s war in Ukraine.

— Dominik Hasek, Washington Post, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of maim

Verb

Another six people were wounded, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced last week (in an interview with Pizzagate conspiracist Jack Posobiec) that the Pentagon would air the execution of the man convicted of the attack that killed 13 and wounded 30 more.

— Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of wound

Verb

When the user reached out to Meta, a support staff member reportedly recommended disabling several settings, including mic and camera permissions.

— Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
Robinson took control of Jackson’s microphone and disabled the audio.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of disable

Verb

Hundreds of Palestinians have been attacked and a few have been killed this olive harvest alone, which started in late September, rights groups have said.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
Police were investigating what caused the pickup truck to barrel through a soccer field, killing a man and a child.

— Maggie Vespa, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of kill

Browse Nearby Words

incapably

incapacitate

incapacitated

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“Incapacitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incapacitate. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of incapacitate

verb

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