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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of incapacitating
The only way to repair the rift and deal with the incapacitating grief is through art.
—
James Shapiro, The Atlantic, 1 Dec. 2025
He is accused of slipping incapacitating drugs into victims’ food or drinks before assaulting them between 2021 and 2024.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025
While the name suggests something far more trivial, significant damage to the ligaments of the metatarsophalangeal joint can be incapacitating.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 15 Sep. 2025
To write one’s way out of the incapacitating dependence of daughterhood into autonomy means shedding the unquestioning fidelity of a child.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025
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
James Shapiro, The Atlantic, 1 Dec. 2025
He is accused of slipping incapacitating drugs into victims’ food or drinks before assaulting them between 2021 and 2024.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025
While the name suggests something far more trivial, significant damage to the ligaments of the metatarsophalangeal joint can be incapacitating.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 15 Sep. 2025
To write one’s way out of the incapacitating dependence of daughterhood into autonomy means shedding the unquestioning fidelity of a child.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incapacitating
Verb
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The region is grappling with a winter storm that is paralyzing activity in the area with freezing precipitation on its roads, discouraging shoppers from heading out to stores.—
Brian Womack,
Dallas Morning News,
24 Jan. 2026
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An inspiration to all is assistant manager of excursions Kineret Munoz, who hasn’t let a paralyzing car accident dampen her spirit of adventure one little bit.—
Sarah Marshall,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Both have endured crippling US sanctions that have precipitated economic collapses.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
7 Jan. 2026
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None of that was fearful because fear of the unknown, like fear of, showing up in a situation and not knowing what's gonna happen is like, that's a thing that's like crippling to adults and definitely crippling to teenagers.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Youthful pond hockey injuries and years of surfing scrapes have been absorbed as painful but far from disabling.—
Fred Schruers,
Rolling Stone,
26 Jan. 2026
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Civil liberties groups that publish protest safety guidance consistently recommend disabling the face and fingerprint unlocking features and using a strong passcode.—
Nicole M. Bennett,
The Conversation,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The suspect, charged with murder and other crimes, allegedly shot at four people in separate vehicles in Prince George’s County, killing one and wounding two.—
Jasmine Golden,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Faceworld members opened fire, killing Jordan and wounding another woman.—
Sam Charles,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
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That poor year was largely the product of Vogelsong injuring his right pinkie finger and missing more than two months, but Vogelsong questioned whether the tournament had any impact.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
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And then there’s Kyle Rittenhouse, a counter-protester acquitted after fatally shooting two men and injuring another in Kenosha, Wisconsin, during the post-Floyd protests.—
Bill Barrow,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Incapacitating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incapacitating. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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