INCAPACITATE Synonyms: 104 Similar and Opposite Words

incapacitate

verb

ˌin-kə-ˈpa-sə-ˌtāt

Definition of incapacitate

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Add to that Safe Return™ Emergency Autoland, where, if the pilot was incapacitated, a touch of a big red button initiates a safe, autonomous landing. — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026 The police described her as drunk and incapacitated, according to the records. — New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026 The Vatican has no specific rules on how the leadership of the Catholic Church is transferred should the pope be incapacitated. — Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026 Levin said that nothing could justify Lewie’s firing several shots at McConnell after he was incapacitated on the ground. — Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for incapacitate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for incapacitate

Verb

The destruction of South Korea’s memory chip fabs would compound this tragedy and cripple the global economy.

— Dan Blumenthal, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
Mendel argued that Zelenskyy's promise to bring peace at the time stands in stark contrast to the devastating war that has crippled the country and defined much of his presidency.

— Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of cripple

Verb

Also according to the emergency service, consecutive Russian strikes on a shopping center in Kharkiv injured four people late on Saturday, including three rescue workers.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Patrick, who was injured when his cleats became tangled in TV cords, had to first seek redress through a grievance procedure before being able to pursue a lawsuit.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of injure

Verb

But supporters also warned that a Congress increasingly dominated by the far right and the agribusiness caucus could undermine those efforts to protect the forest and combat climate change.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026
The senator challenged Supreme Federal Court Justice Cristiano Zanin’s decision to extend voting by two hours, arguing that the uneven application of the measure had undermined equal voting conditions.

— Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of undermine

Verb

Roché said six people, including minors, had been maimed in three weeks of protests, losing hands or eyes.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Oct. 2026
Doctors in Aleppo later reported a pattern of regime snipers shooting to maim civilians, rather than to kill them—partly to maximize suffering, partly to invite rescue attempts.

— Ben Taub, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of maim

Verb

Israeli forces demolished two homes in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron on Friday belonging to Palestinian gunmen who carried out an attack last week that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 31 Oct. 2026
The attacks have left at least 20 dead and 370 wounded, and have forced the closure of King Khalid International Airport for two weeks.

— Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of wound

Verb

From microwave weapons that can disable multiple drones to interceptor missiles and electronic warfare systems, the US military is developing a diverse toolkit to counter the growing threat from unmanned aircraft.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
The double-press-and-hold control is the only one that can’t be customized here, and it’s locked to disabling/enabling the dial itself.

— Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of disable

Verb

Support for the populist had eroded since 16 people were killed in 2024 when a concrete canopy collapsed at a train station in Novi Sad.

— JOVANA GEC, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
The military campaign that ensued has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

— Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of kill

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incapably

incapacitate

incapacitated

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“Incapacitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incapacitate. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of incapacitate

verb

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