What does "incapacious" mean?
Small; narrow; cramped; unable to hold or allow the passage of very much.
Incapacious
adj
adj ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Small; narrow; cramped; unable to hold or allow the passage of very much.
- Grammar: incapacious is listed as adj.
- Nearest alternatives: close, confined, constricted, cramp.
- Usage evidence: It is a contrast, to be contemplated with grateful emotions, that in a place where a century ago twenty-five families gathered in an incapacious wooden edifice to lift their hearts and voices to God , and to praise him in the forms of the Liturgy , there are now to be found at least a thousand families , and nearly two thousand communicants , cherishing the same Triune Jehovah, in larger, loftier, and more enduring or more costly temples.
How to use "incapacious"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "incapacious" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "incapacious" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "incapacious" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "incapacious" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "incapacious" is acting as adj in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "close" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "incapacious", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Small; narrow; cramped; unable to hold or allow the passage of very much.
"It is a contrast, to be contemplated with grateful emotions, that in a place where a century ago twenty-five families gathered in an incapacious wooden edifice to lift their hearts and voices to God , and to praise him in the forms of the Liturgy , there are now to be found at least a thousand families , and nearly two thousand communicants , cherishing the same Triune Jehovah, in larger, loftier, and more enduring or more costly temples."
- 2 Not capable; having limited abilities; weak, incompetent, and/or foolish.
"Can art be so dim-sighted, learnèd sir? I did not think her so incapacious."
- 3 Small; limited, modest, lacking grandeur or nobility.
"yet, inasmuch as he is capable of understanding the vast disproportions of time and eternity, of a mortal flesh and an immortal spirit, how preposterous a course were it and unworthy of a man, yea, how dishonourable and reproachful to his Maker, should he prefer the momentary pleasures of narrow, incapacious sense, to the everlasting enjoyments of an enlarged, comprehensive spirit?"
- 4 Insufficient.
"[…] by buzzing them into popular eares and capaci- ties, incapacious of them, unable to comprehend them."
- 5 Incapacitating.
"[…] Agamben insists, one can still see even in darkness where what one sees is the colour of incapacity. […] Deleuzian obscurity is, like Agamben's incapacious darkness, a darkness that allows one to see."
Example
"It is a contrast, to be contemplated with grateful emotions, that in a place where a century ago twenty-five families gathered in an incapacious wooden edifice to lift their hearts and voices to God , and to praise him in the forms of the Liturgy , there are now to be found at least a thousand families , and nearly two thousand communicants , cherishing the same Triune Jehovah, in larger, loftier, and more enduring or more costly temples."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "incapacious"?
Common synonyms include: close, confined, constricted, cramp, cramped, crowded.
How do you use "incapacious" in a sentence?
It is a contrast, to be contemplated with grateful emotions, that in a place where a century ago twenty-five families gathered in an incapacious wooden edifice to lift their hearts and voices to God , and to praise him in the forms of the Liturgy , there are now to be found at least a thousand families , and nearly two thousand communicants , cherishing the same Triune Jehovah, in larger, loftier, and more enduring or more costly temples.
Etymology
From in- + capacious.