- past tense form of incapacitate.
- past participle 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.
At least 19 states, including New York, have a higher bar for the level of intoxication required to deem someone incapacitated and unable to consent.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
For months, rumors circulated that he had actually died, was on life support or was otherwise incapacitated.
From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2026
But it wasn’t until Lyon was ailing and his wife, Val, was incapacitated that a family member looking to confirm a beneficiary designation found no record of any updates to his plans.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
“He’s been incapacitated from the moment he left the field, and with no chance of recovering,” said Carey, who added that he is limited on what he has been authorized to discuss concerning Mayich’s condition.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
‘Frank, Hazel, Leo... let’s talk. Piper, can you keep our friend musically incapacitated?’
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
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.
