incarnation

noun

in·​car·​na·​tion ˌin-(ˌ)kär-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce incarnation (audio)
1
: the act of incarnating : the state of being incarnate
2
: a particular physical form or state : version
in another incarnation he might be a first vice-presidentWalter Teller
TV and movie incarnations of the story
3
a
: a concrete or actual form of a quality or concept
especially : a person showing a trait or typical character to a marked degree
she is the incarnation of goodness
b(1)
capitalized : the union of divinity with humanity in Jesus Christ
(2)
: the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form
incarnational adjective

Examples of incarnation in a Sentence

the doctrine of the Incarnation she is the very incarnation of grace and tactfulness
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Nelson’s latest presents an equally intellectual history of funk music, from its West African, soul, and jazz roots to its later incarnations in disco, new wave, and hip-hop. Erik Morse, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2025 The Presley story here is a lot more interesting, and Spacey mostly seems to be doing an impersonation rather than an incarnation. Will Leitch, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2025 In an earlier incarnation, the paper had been part of the state's Republican establishment and had helped lift Richard Nixon to national prominence. David Folkenflik, NPR, 3 Feb. 2025 The last incarnation of the Avatar born an earthbender was Kyoshi, voiced by Jennifer Hale on the first two series. Nick Romano, EW.com, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for incarnation

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3b(2)

Time Traveler
The first known use of incarnation was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Incarnation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incarnation. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

incarnation

noun
in·​car·​na·​tion ˌin-ˌkär-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce incarnation (audio)
1
: the appearance of a god or spirit in an earthly form
2
capitalized : the union of divine and human natures in Jesus Christ
3
: an actual instance of a quality or concept
she was the incarnation of goodness

More from Merriam-Webster on incarnation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!