incapacitates

verb

present tense third-person singular of incapacitate
1
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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2
as in cripples
to cause severe or permanent injury to the stroke left her completely incapacitated

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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 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
  1. paralyzes
  2. cripples
  3. undermines
  4. disables
  5. injures
  6. wounds
  7. maims
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
  • Federal illegality further cripples operations with banking and tax burdens.
    — Peter Su, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
  • In the final version of the film, Furiosa captures Dementus, cripples him, brings him back to the Citadel.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026
Definition of cripples
Verb
  • Side effects Clozapine’s most notable adverse effect is agranulocytosis, in which an extreme reduction of white blood cells, particularly neutrophils, undermines the body’s ability to defend against infection.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Self-awareness bolsters leadership while self-surveillance nearly always undermines it.
    — Carol Geffner, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of undermines
Verb
  • My standard method for testing ransomware-specific antivirus features is to disable other protection layers and let the ransomware component take charge, but doing so also disables Avira’s real-time protection, which includes the ransomware feature.
    — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The sole survivor disables HAL by disconnecting the power source.
    — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of disables
Verb
  • This pest injures the host plant by using its piercing-sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap.
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Travel could require boarding or pet-sitting expenses, while a dog that damages property or injures someone could create potential liability issues.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of injures
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 kitchen wounds him, heals him, and becomes his crucible of faith.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 29 July 2026
Definition of wounds
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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Cite this Entry

“Incapacitates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incapacitates. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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