1
as in paralyzing
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
2
as in crippling
to cause severe or permanent injury to
the stroke left her completely incapacitated
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of incapacitating
This is not some bloodthirsty pirate contempt with conquering a pleasure planet like everyone thought, but a calculative master manipulator and tactician who knew the value of Kalgan and used it to acquire a larger prize — incapacitating the Empire’s attack forces.
—
Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 9 Aug. 2025
Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 9 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incapacitating
Verb
-
High-stakes performance reviews can be especially paralyzing.—
Ruth Oh Reitmeier,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
During lockdown, Mendelsund was consumed by a deep and paralyzing depression.—
Stuart Miller,
Oc Register,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Thomas’ absence has been crippling for the Giants in recent years.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
19 Aug. 2025
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More importantly, if just one lock were disabled or destroyed, the passage from east to west would be essentially inoperable, crippling the United States and its military defenses.—
Shoshi Parks,
Popular Science,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Gemini icon or summary buttons may still appear, even after disabling these features.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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With a smartphone, NOAA recommends enabling night mode, disabling flash and using a tripod to stabilize the image.—
Ty Roush,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The man, identified as Cash, opened fire, wounding the man.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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Russia launched a large-scale attack on Kyiv overnight, killing 15 people, wounding 48 others and damaging buildings, Ukrainian officials said on Thursday.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Last week, a 23-year-old opened fire outside a church at a Minneapolis Catholic school, killing two children and injuring 19 other people before dying by suicide.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
4 Sep. 2025
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Parollee Dawain Hopson lived a free life for about five weeks before landing back behind bars, this time for allegedly stabbing two people to death at a Detroit pool party over the summer and injuring two others with the same knife.—
Tresa Baldas,
Freep.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Incapacitating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incapacitating. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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