- past participle of incapacitate.
- past tense form of incapacitate.
incapacitated
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of incapacitated
First recorded in 1795–1805; incapacitate + -ed 2
Explanation
If you’ve been sick with the flu for a week, barely able to get out of bed, then you’ve got an idea of what it’s like to be incapacitated. Incapacitated means "empty of strength," "helpless," or "powerless." Incapacitated is an adjective that describes a state where you don’t have the capacity, or ability, to accomplish something. When someone becomes incapacitated, illness or injury is usually to blame. Incapacitated can also mean "ineligible." For instance, if you are too old to join the army, then your age makes you incapacitated from serving in the army.
Vocabulary lists containing incapacitated
Into the Wild
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Outliers
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Mockingjay
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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.
For months, rumors circulated that he had actually died, was on life support or was otherwise incapacitated.
From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2026
They can also be part of your estate planning, such as in the event that one of you becomes incapacitated.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026
Arizona State hockey player Matthew Mayich remains incapacitated more than two weeks after he collapsed during an outdoor team practice in Tempe.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
Ford’s side denied he was incapacitated and refused a cognitive test, the court documents say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
They wanted to think that he was incapacitated, injured, unable to make it to the phone.
From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier
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.
