1
as in to paralyze
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 to cripple
to cause severe or permanent injury to
the stroke left her completely incapacitated
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of incapacitate
But there are also two provisions in state law that bar specific groups of people from casting ballots — those who have been adjudicated as incapacitated and people convicted of felonies who have not had their civil rights restored.
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Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 9 Dec. 2024
Workers incapacitated by pregnancy could get an additional two weeks.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 20 Dec. 2024
In 2010, a UPS cargo flight was involved in a fatal accident when a cargo pallet containing tens of thousands of lithium batteries caused a fire in the hold, which eventually incapacitated the pilots and damaged the flight controls, causing the aircraft to crash in Dubai.
—Barry Collins, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
And he was fascinated by how people thought to be incapacitated could suddenly reveal deep resources for feeling, thinking, acting.
—Michael S. Roth, The Atlantic, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for incapacitate 
Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 9 Dec. 2024
Workers incapacitated by pregnancy could get an additional two weeks.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 20 Dec. 2024
In 2010, a UPS cargo flight was involved in a fatal accident when a cargo pallet containing tens of thousands of lithium batteries caused a fire in the hold, which eventually incapacitated the pilots and damaged the flight controls, causing the aircraft to crash in Dubai.
—Barry Collins, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
And he was fascinated by how people thought to be incapacitated could suddenly reveal deep resources for feeling, thinking, acting.
—Michael S. Roth, The Atlantic, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for incapacitate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incapacitate
Verb
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However, the database also safeguards against disruptions by providing a fully functional backup system in the event that a cyberattack paralyzes a hospital's primary billing database—which was not among our original goals when developing the tool.Chandler Barron, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
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It was also seen as a concession by Hezbollah and, some analysts said, an acknowledgment that the group was no longer in a position to paralyze the state.Christina Goldbaum, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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About six weeks ago, hackers crippled the computer systems of the TV and mobile phone provider Dish Network.Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2023
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Oakland Mills Coach: Chris Brewington Last season: Class 2A state champion Outlook: Losing the talent Oakland Mills did from last year’s outdoor season would cripple most programs, but the Scorpions have reloaded.Anthony Maluso, Baltimore Sun, 22 Mar. 2023
Verb
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Without this context, the accuracy of risk assessments is undermined.Philip Caldwell, Baltimore Sun, 12 Jan. 2025
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Many businesses are unaware of the extent to which artificially inflated OTP traffic undermines their operations due to the sheer complexities and inherent risks of telecommunication.Ethan Stone, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025
Verb
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There is strong evidence, in both animals and people, that exposure to even a single blast can injure blood vessels in a way that initiates a cascade of repair mechanisms.Jon Hamilton, NPR, 14 Jan. 2025
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Nearly 50,000 Palestinians are dead because of Israeli military operations, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, and many more are injured and traumatized.Sarah Yager, Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Thousands of children have been orphaned, maimed and traumatized.Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 18 Oct. 2024
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Pointing out the obvious, instead of killing and maiming one another, the surviving German males were back to producing in various ways.John Tamny, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Two men were killed and a third man was wounded in a North Oakland shooting Friday night, authorities said.Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2025
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The soldiers were wounded and were transported to Kyiv for interrogation, Zelensky said on social media.Zach Halaschak, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Jan. 2025
Verb
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California Drone crash disabled a firefighting plane.Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
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Set up two-factor (or multi-factor) authentication on any account that allows it, and never disable it.Zak Doffman, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Those winds have fanned wildfires into destructive infernos across Los Angeles, killing at least 11 and displacing tens of thousands this week.Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025
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The medical examiner's office says five of those deaths were in the Palisades Fire, while 11 people were killed in the Eaton Fire.Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 12 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near incapacitate
Cite this Entry
“Incapacitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incapacitate. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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