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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to cripple

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

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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 Tasers are designed to incapacitate muscles through pulsed current generated between probes. — Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026 Conclusion The world’s deadliest snakes use different biological weapons to incapacitate their victims. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026 The medical professional also checked the boxes saying Grayson would be incapacitated within six months and his condition was unlikely to improve. — Jerry Nowicki, CBS News, 31 July 2026 Grayson filed for release under the Joe Coleman Act, which applies to incarcerated people who are terminally ill or medically incapacitated. — Ava Kelley, NBC news, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for incapacitate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for incapacitate

Verb

She is paralyzed from the waist down after a suicide attempt following killing her children.

— Carmel Wroth, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026
Clancy, who was left paralyzed by a suicide attempt that followed the killings, was brought forward in her wheelchair to listen.

— Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of paralyze

Verb

The administration did cripple Iran's nuclear program in 2025 with bombing strikes on various facilities, but since this war began, there's been no effective action taken against its nuclear program.

— Dana Taylor, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Shortages of Patriot air defenses leave Ukraine vulnerable as Russia repeatedly builds missile stockpiles, targets energy and private businesses, and seeks to cripple the economy ahead of winter.

— Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of cripple

Verb

Western officials have repeatedly accused Moscow of conducting a campaign of sabotage and disruption in their countries with the aim of undermining support for Ukraine and destabilizing European nations, something Russia denies.

— Claudia Ciobanu, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Western officials have repeatedly accused Moscow of running a campaign of sabotage and disruption in their countries with the aim of undermining support for Ukraine and destabilizing European nations, something Russian officials deny.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of undermine

Verb

Demining groups say that without international support, Southeast Asia’s unfinished work clearing land mines and unexploded bombs will continue to endanger communities, maiming and killing people and slowing development for years to come.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
His act made use of racial and ethnic slurs, under the philosophy that taboo words lost their maiming edge with repetition.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of maim

Verb

Three women and a man were wounded in a shooting early Sunday at Granite Regional Park in eastern Sacramento.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 6 Sep. 2026
Russian attacks across multiple Ukrainian regions killed one person and wounded at least 10 others overnight into Sunday, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said.

— Samya Kullab, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of wound

Verb

Users reported problems with Outlook, while OpenAI said users may experience problems starting or continuing tasks in ChatGPT Work, temporarily disabling two of the modern office's favorite methods of assigning more work.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
Thankfully, there was an option in the app to disable auto-shutdown mode.

— Joe Salas August 28, New Atlas, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of disable

Verb

In January 2025, an American Airlines regional jet collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport, killing all 67 people aboard the two aircraft.

— Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
This is, quite frankly, baloney — who’s to say the Manhunter didn’t kill and take the form of someone already living in the town?

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of kill

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incapably

incapacitate

incapacitated

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“Incapacitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incapacitate. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of incapacitate

verb

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