incapacitate
verb
in·ca·pac·i·tate
ˌin-kə-ˈpa-sə-ˌtāt 
incapacitated; incapacitating
Examples of incapacitate in a Sentence
The class teaches you how to incapacitate an attacker.
The stroke left her completely incapacitated.
He was incapacitated by the pain.
a computer system incapacitated by software problems
Recent Examples on the Web
With a range of up to 30 feet, pepper-spray balls are made of plastic that breaks on impact to release a chemical irritant intended to stun or incapacitate somebody.
—
Ramon Padilla, USA Today, 11 June 2025
You could be incapacitated or unable to act on your own but still need someone to make important decisions for you.
—Jim Wang, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Deputies tried to disarm the man and incapacitate him using a Taser, but ultimately shot him, sheriff’s Sgt.
—Max Levy, Denver Post, 6 June 2025
Many of those accusers claim to have been drugged and then abused while incapacitated.
—Alice Gainer, CBS News, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for incapacitate
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Ramon Padilla, USA Today, 11 June 2025
You could be incapacitated or unable to act on your own but still need someone to make important decisions for you.
—Jim Wang, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Deputies tried to disarm the man and incapacitate him using a Taser, but ultimately shot him, sheriff’s Sgt.
—Max Levy, Denver Post, 6 June 2025
Many of those accusers claim to have been drugged and then abused while incapacitated.
—Alice Gainer, CBS News, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for incapacitate
Cite this Entry
“Incapacitate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incapacitate. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
incapacitate
verb
in·ca·pac·i·tate
ˌin-kə-ˈpas-ə-ˌtāt
incapacitated; incapacitating
: to make incapable : disable
Legal Definition
incapacitate
transitive verb
in·ca·pac·i·tate
ˌin-kə-ˈpa-sə-ˌtāt
incapacitated; incapacitating
1
: to make legally incapable or ineligible
mental illness alone will not incapacitate a person from making a valid contract—Landmark Med. Ctr. v. Gauthier, 635 A.2d 1145 (1994)
Landmark Med. Ctr. v. Gauthier, 635 A.2d 1145 (1994)2
: to deprive of capacity or natural power
an injury that incapacitates the employee
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