INCAPACITATES Synonyms: 104 Similar and Opposite Words

incapacitates

verb

present tense third-person singular of incapacitate

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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as in cripples

to cause severe or permanent injury to the stroke left her completely incapacitated

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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

Verb

Kosowski, prosecutors theorized, killed Cozzi with succinylcholine, a fast-acting drug that paralyzes muscles, and threw his body in a Collier County dumpster during a drive to Miami.

— Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of paralyzes

Verb

According to official figures, even when the thermometer plummets to minus 22 °F (-30 °C), a situation that cripples most electric vehicles, the Atto 8 can still execute a 20 % to 97% charge in just 12 minutes.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
Federal illegality further cripples operations with banking and tax burdens.

— Peter Su, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026

Definition of cripples

Verb

There’s a sense that doubt would be a form of disloyalty to what came before you, or that admitting a weakness undermines the confidence of the people around you.

— Flavio Maluf, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Thiel is making a category error that undermines his entire argument.

— David Gibson, The Verge, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of undermines

Verb

Before installing certain malicious apps, Midnight Mimosa temporarily disables the Google Play Store app.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Among the new tools in the agency's arsenal is an artificial intelligence and radar-guided drone hunter, which disables enemy drones and captures them with a net.

— Norah O'Donnell, CBS News, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of disables

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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“Incapacitates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incapacitates. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of incapacitates

verb

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