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Incapacitate Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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incapacitate

[ษชnหˆkษ™หˆpรฆsษชหŒteษชt ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Verb

medical

To deprive of capacity or natural power; to make incapable or unfit; to render powerless or inoperative; to disable.

Synonyms

cripple, disable, immobilize, weaken.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
incapacitate

This word is often used in formal or medical contexts to describe making someone or something unable to function normally, usually temporarily.

  • The illness could incapacitate him for several weeks.
  • The accident incapacitated her from working.
disable

This word is used to indicate making someone or something unable to work or perform a particular task, often temporarily. It is commonly seen in technical and medical contexts.

  • The virus could disable the entire computer network.
  • The injury disabled him from performing his duties.
immobilize

This word describes preventing something or someone from moving. It's often used in medical or mechanical contexts.

  • They had to immobilize her leg to allow the bone to heal.
  • The police used a device to immobilize the suspectโ€™s car.
cripple

This term has a negative connotation and can be offensive. It is usually used to describe severe or permanent damage that causes someone to lose the ability to move or function properly.

  • The war crippled many soldiers both physically and mentally.
  • She was crippled by the accident.
weaken

This word is used to describe making someone or something less strong or powerful. It can be applied to physical strength, structural integrity, or effectiveness.

  • The long illness had weakened him considerably.
  • The medication may weaken your immune system.

Examples of usage

  • In order to incapacitate the suspect, the police officers used a taser.
  • The virus can incapacitate a person for weeks at a time.
Context #2 | Verb

legal

To deprive of legal capacity or qualification.

Examples of usage

  • The court may incapacitate an individual from making decisions if they are deemed unfit.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Interesting Facts

Legal Context

  • In law, a person may be deemed incapacitated if they cannot make informed decisions about their own life.
  • Guardianship is often assigned to manage the affairs of someone who has been found incapacitated.

Psychology

  • In psychological terms, incapacitation can refer to mental states where individuals are unable to think or act effectively due to trauma or stress.
  • Therapy often aims to restore a person's capacity to manage their emotions and decisions.

Medical Terminology

  • In medicine, to incapacitate can mean to reduce a personโ€™s physical capabilities due to injury or illness.
  • Certain medications or procedures may temporarily incapacitate patients during treatment.

Pop Culture

  • In action movies, characters often incapacitate their opponents using a well-placed blow or a knockout punch, emphasizing physical conflict.
  • Video games frequently feature characters that can incapacitate enemies through various skills or weapons.

Origin of 'incapacitate'

Main points about word origin

  • The word comes from Latin 'incapacitas', where 'in-' means 'not' and 'capacitas' means 'capacity' or 'ability'.
  • In English, it began to appear in documents around the 19th century, often related to legal contexts.

The word 'incapacitate' originated in the early 17th century, from the Latin word 'incapacitare' (in- 'not' + capacitare 'to make fit'). It has been used in various contexts over the centuries, primarily in medical and legal settings.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #31,088 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.