IPA

Dictionary definition of incapacitate

To disable or make someone unable to perform a certain action or function.
"The injury would incapacitate him for the rest of the season."

Detailed meaning of incapacitate

It is often used in a medical or legal context to describe a situation where an individual is unable to perform their usual activities due to injury, illness, or legal restrictions. For example, a person may be incapacitated by a severe injury that leaves them unable to walk or perform basic tasks, or a person may be incapacitated by a legal ruling that restricts their ability to conduct business. The word "incapacitate" implies a sense of helplessness or vulnerability, and suggests that the individual is unable to function normally due to external factors. The term can also be used in a broader sense to describe any situation where an individual or organization is rendered ineffective or unable to function properly.

Example sentences of incapacitate

1. The powerful tranquilizer was enough to incapacitate the aggressive bear.
2. The accident on the field threatened to incapacitate our team's star player.
3. The poison was designed to incapacitate the rats, not kill them.
4. A sudden migraine can easily incapacitate me for several hours.
5. To incapacitate the intruder, she quickly reached for her pepper spray.
6. The debilitating illness was expected to incapacitate her for at least a week.

History and etymology of incapacitate

The verb 'incapacitate' is derived from Latin, specifically from the word 'incapacitare.' This Latin term is composed of 'in-' (meaning 'not' or 'without') and 'capacitare' (from 'capax,' meaning 'able' or 'capable'). Therefore, 'incapacitare' essentially means 'to make not able' or 'to render incapable.' As it transitioned into English, 'incapacitate' retained this fundamental sense of disabling or making someone unable to perform a particular action or function. Its etymology underscores the concept of depriving an individual of their capacity or ability, making it an appropriate term for describing the process of rendering someone incapable of certain tasks or activities.

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Further usage examples of incapacitate

1. The anesthesia will incapacitate you temporarily during the operation.
2. You should aim to incapacitate your opponent without causing unnecessary harm.
3. The cyber attack was designed to incapacitate the company's network system.
4. The riot police used tear gas to incapacitate the crowd.
5. A harsh winter can incapacitate a town's infrastructure.
6. Our team worked tirelessly to incapacitate the virus with a new vaccine.
7. The storm threatened to incapacitate the entire city's power supply.
8. His sharp wit could incapacitate anyone in a debate.
9. Excessive drinking is sure to incapacitate you, impairing both your judgment and coordination.
10. The computer virus can incapacitate your system in a matter of minutes.
11. It's crucial to incapacitate the fire before it spreads further.
12. The hacker aimed to incapacitate the security systems before making his move.
13. The intense heat threatened to incapacitate the firefighters battling the blaze.
14. To incapacitate the threat, the military initiated an advanced missile strike.