incapacitated

adjective

in·​ca·​pac·​i·​tat·​ed ˌin-kə-ˈpa-sə-ˌtā-təd 

: deprived of capacity or natural power : made incapable of or unfit for normal functioning

… can care for cats while the owners are away or are temporarily incapacitated and unable to care for their pets.

—Karen Commings

… when an incapacitated patient hasn't left a living will or designated someone to make his or her medical decisions, families agree on what to do anyway in about two-thirds of the cases …

—Jeff Chu et al.

Eventually, he [Washington Roebling] became bedridden, in a room that overlooked the bridge under construction, with Emily effectively serving as assistant engineer and intermediary between the incapacitated chief engineer and his lieutenants on the construction site.

—Henry Petroski

Examples of incapacitated in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

According to The Athletic, the move was made to comply with the NFL’s succession planning policy, which requires each team to designate a successor in case the controlling owner dies or becomes incapacitated. —Nasha Smith, People.com, 27 Aug. 2025

However, there’s not much involved in that post other than serving on some state boards and being ready if the real governor becomes incapacitated. —The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 12 Aug. 2025

Libraries and recreation centers are open, though their computer systems remain incapacitated. —Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 6 Aug. 2025

Kela Stanford, 54, is accused of one count of leaving a child or an incapacitated person unattended in a motor vehicle resulting in serious physical injury, according to the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office. —David K. Li, NBC news, 1 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1769, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for incapacitated

• ameliorated
• decontaminated
• deoxygenated
• deteriorated
• differentiated
• disarticulated
• excommunicated
• individuated
• misappropriated
• monounsaturated
• multinucleated
• nonaffiliated