encapsulate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to place in or as if in a capsule.
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to summarize or condense.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to enclose or be enclosed in or as if in a capsule
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(tr) to sum up in a short or concise form; condense; abridge
Usage
What does encapsulate mean? To encapsulate figuratively means to summarize or condense, as in Rhia encapsulated the three-hour lecture into a 20-minute video. When you encapsulate something, you can still see the clear vision of what is being summarized but in a shorter time or with less effort. Movie trailers should encapsulate the movie (without giving away the ending, thank you very much). And when you use multiple skills to create something, such as a product, you could that product encapsulates your talents. To encapsulate literally means to place in a capsule or as if in a capsule, such as a dose of medicine placed inside a gelatinous case. Example: This interview really encapsulates the feelings that most of our patients have toward the new treatment.
Other Word Forms
- encapsulation noun
Etymology
Origin of encapsulate
Explanation
To encapsulate something is to sum it up in shorter form — to summarize something. When you see the word encapsulate, think about trying to put your comic book collection inside one tiny capsule — all of them wouldn't fit, so you'd have to pick out just your favorites or the most valuable ones. Encapsulating means condensing something down into its most important parts, so you just get the gist of it. Cliff's Notes encapsulate longer books. If you tell a friend about your summer vacation, you better encapsulate it or you'll be there for hours.
Vocabulary lists containing encapsulate
Every Day
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Mandela's Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Address
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Robin Williams (1951-2014) Tribute List
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Micron and Sandisk, plus Western Digital and Seagate, perfectly encapsulate momentum.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
"We believe that this method can be used to encapsulate various aqueous extracts," said Piskunov.
From Science Daily • Jan. 17, 2026
Ohtani was awarded his fourth most valuable player award on Thursday, but the designation fails to encapsulate his influence on the team that employs him and the league in which he plays.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 13, 2025
It has come to encapsulate the larger tensions in education around class, merit, access and opportunity—as well as parental rights and aspirations for their own children.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 22, 2025
I suddenly realize why people believe in déjà vu, why people believe they’ve lived past lives, because there is no way the years I’ve spent on this earth could possibly encapsulate what I’m feeling.
From "Every Day" by David Levithan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
