1
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Etoro said that intensified cyberattacks since 2023, and potential damages from armed attacks, could raise costs or incapacitate its workforce due to safety concerns.
—
Samantha Subin, CNBC, 15 May 2025
With a range of up to 30 feet, pepper-spray balls are made of plastic that breaks on impact to release a chemical irritant intended to stun or incapacitate somebody.
—Ramon Padilla, USA Today, 11 June 2025
You could be incapacitated or unable to act on your own but still need someone to make important decisions for you.
—Jim Wang, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Deputies tried to disarm the man and incapacitate him using a Taser, but ultimately shot him, sheriff’s Sgt.
—Max Levy, Denver Post, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for incapacitate
Samantha Subin, CNBC, 15 May 2025
With a range of up to 30 feet, pepper-spray balls are made of plastic that breaks on impact to release a chemical irritant intended to stun or incapacitate somebody.
—Ramon Padilla, USA Today, 11 June 2025
You could be incapacitated or unable to act on your own but still need someone to make important decisions for you.
—Jim Wang, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Deputies tried to disarm the man and incapacitate him using a Taser, but ultimately shot him, sheriff’s Sgt.
—Max Levy, Denver Post, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for incapacitate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incapacitate
Verb
-
Trump deserves credit for ignoring the voices in Washington who counsel inaction out of an understandable but often paralyzing fear of unintended consequences.—
The Editors,
National Review,
24 June 2025
-
To all who saw Iran as a behemoth, were daunted by its deterrence and paralyzed by its threats, these are days of reckoning.—
HUSSEIN AGHA,
Foreign Affairs,
23 June 2025
Verb
-
About six weeks ago, hackers crippled the computer systems of the TV and mobile phone provider Dish Network.—
Shira Ovide,
Washington Post,
4 Apr. 2023
-
Oakland Mills Coach: Chris Brewington Last season: Class 2A state champion Outlook: Losing the talent Oakland Mills did from last year’s outdoor season would cripple most programs, but the Scorpions have reloaded.—
Anthony Maluso,
Baltimore Sun,
22 Mar. 2023
Verb
-
Your bombastic attacks on the free press are, at best, unflattering — and at worst, undermine a core tenet of democracy.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 June 2025
-
Trump is undermining our economy with reckless tariffs, harsh cuts, and ICE agents terrorizing our communities.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
Verb
-
Clark has been injured and has struggled lately, going just 13-of-47 from three-point territory in her last three games and missing six of the Indiana Fever's 16 games this season.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
-
At least 968 civilians were killed and over 4,800 injured.—
Katya Soldak,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Verb
-
Since 2007, at least 922 humpback whales have been maimed or killed by these ropes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.—
Elizabeth Cook,
CBS News,
15 May 2025
-
Reality, however, doesn’t require sci-fi zombies — fungi that maim and kill people are quickly spreading in the world today.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
6 May 2025
Verb
-
Six people were wounded in Cherkasy, including a child, regional Gov. Ihor Taburets said.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
29 June 2025
-
Two people were wounded in another Ukrainian drone attack on the city of Bryansk in western Russia, regional Gov. Alexander Bogomaz said Sunday morning, adding that seven more Ukrainian drones had been shot down over the region.—
Volodymyr Yurchuk,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2025
Verb
-
Pornhub disabled its website in Texas last year because of the state law.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
27 June 2025
-
As revealed in a recent episode of 60 Minutes, in one case the agency sent a clawback letter to a 32-year-old man, living on Social Security and disabled by cerebral palsy.—
John C. Goodman,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
Gaza’s Health Ministry on Sunday said that another 88 people have been killed by Israeli fire over the past 24 hours, raising the war’s toll among Palestinians to 56,500.—
Tia Goldenberg,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2025
-
One Cambodian soldier was killed in a relatively small, contested area.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Incapacitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incapacitate. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share