encapsulate
verb
Did you know?
We’ll keep it brief by encapsulating the history of this word in just a few sentences. Encapsulate and its related noun, capsule, come to English (via French) from capsula, a diminutive form of the Latin noun capsa, meaning “box.” (Capsa also gave English the word case as it refers to a container or box—not to be confused with the case in “just in case,” which is a separate case.) The earliest examples of encapsulate are for its literal use, “to enclose something in a capsule,” and they date to the late 19th century. Its extended meaning, “to give a summary or synopsis of something,” plays on the notion of a capsule being something compact, self-contained, and often easily digestible.
Examples of encapsulate in a Sentence
CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
In that sense, the end of San Antonio’s playoff-clinching victory over Phoenix on Thursday night encapsulated the last six years.
—Mike Finger, San Antonio Express-News, 21 Mar. 2026
That single sequence has encapsulated Denver’s dealings — or lack of them — through the first week of free agency.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 15 Mar. 2026
One stat that encapsulates the 2025 Cowboys After the first day of free agency, the Dallas Cowboys were the only team in the NFL that had not seen one of their internal free agents sign elsewhere.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for encapsulate
Cite this Entry
“Encapsulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encapsulate. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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encapsulate
verb
Medical Definition
encapsulate
verb
Paul Smaglik
