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incapacitates

verb

present tense third-person singular of incapacitate
1
as in paralyzes
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move the malfunctioning of a single component can incapacitate the engine

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2
as in cripples
to cause severe or permanent injury to the stroke left her completely incapacitated

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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 incapacitates The Martian tells the story of astronaut Mark Watney, who becomes stranded on Mars after a dust storm incapacitates him. — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 28 May 2026 Lorenzo confronts and incapacitates Pepe, Sonia’s main ally, before facing Sonia herself. — Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 24 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incapacitates
  1. paralyzes
  2. cripples
  3. undermines
  4. disables
  5. injures
  6. wounds
  7. maims
Verb
  • The wasp gets its name from its reproductive cycle, where a female paralyzes a tarantula to serve as a live host for her larva.
    — Sean Donnelly, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Fear, like ignorance, shuts our eyes to and paralyzes our trust in God’s omnipotence, omniscience, and unfailing love for His children, whereas the understanding of God’s ever-present goodness removes the fear that generates suffering.
    — André Kisonga, Christian Science Monitor, 30 June 2026
Definition of paralyzes
Verb
  • Federal illegality further cripples operations with banking and tax burdens.
    — Peter Su, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
  • In the final version of the film, Furiosa captures Dementus, cripples him, brings him back to the Citadel.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026
Definition of cripples
Verb
  • Providing false or misleading information to law enforcement undermines those efforts and unnecessarily diverts officers and resources away from members of our community who may need immediate police assistance.
    — Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026
  • In this telling, the column contends that the president’s rhetoric trivializes public anxiety about potential catastrophic risks and undermines efforts to build serious safety frameworks.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of undermines
Verb
  • The sole survivor disables HAL by disconnecting the power source.
    — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Operating anywhere near the bottom effectively disables the reserve due to a hard legal stop and the loss of emergency flow rates.
    — Siddharth Misra, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of disables
Verb
  • This pest injures the host plant by using its piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap.
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Travel could require boarding or pet-sitting expenses, while a dog that damages property or injures someone could create potential liability issues.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of injures
Verb
  • Penal Code 597 states that any person who who maliciously and intentionally maims, mutilates, tortures, or wounds a living animal is guilty of a crime.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The kitchen wounds him, heals him, and becomes his crucible of faith.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 29 July 2026
Definition of wounds
Verb
  • Penal Code 597 states that any person who who maliciously and intentionally maims, mutilates, tortures, or wounds a living animal is guilty of a crime.
    — Martha Ross, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2026
  • The attack only maims Aegon, who is left bedridden and unable to walk on his own.
    — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 20 June 2026
Definition of maims

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Cite this Entry

“Incapacitates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incapacitates. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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