Meaning & use
encapsulate
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To sum up the main point or spirit of something in a short, clear form.
Grammar: Takes an object: the poem encapsulates her grief.
Patterns
- encapsulate something
- encapsulate something in something
The headline neatly encapsulates the mood of the whole country.
One photograph can encapsulate an entire era.
She tried to encapsulate her argument in a single sentence.
verbtransitivetechnical
To surround something completely with a covering or shell so that it is sealed off.
Grammar: Takes an object, and is often passive: the drug is encapsulated in gelatin.
Patterns
- encapsulate something in something
The medicine is encapsulated in a coating that dissolves slowly.
Amber encapsulated the tiny insect for millions of years.
The old pipes were encapsulated in a safe, sealed layer.
verbtransitivecomputingtechnical
In computing, to hide the inner details of data or code inside a unit that other parts of the program can use only through a set interface.
Grammar: Used in programming: the class encapsulates its data.
Patterns
- encapsulate data
- encapsulate behavior
The class encapsulates the account balance so other code cannot change it directly.
Good design encapsulates complexity behind a simple function.
We encapsulated the database logic in a separate module.
Word forms
| third person singular | encapsulates |
|---|---|
| past tense | encapsulated |
| past participle | encapsulated |
| -ing form | encapsulating |
Common combinations
- perfectly encapsulate
- This quote perfectly encapsulates her approach to life.
- neatly encapsulate
- The slogan neatly encapsulates the brand.
- encapsulate the essence
- The painting encapsulates the essence of the harbor town.
- encapsulate in
- The ingredients are encapsulated in a soft shell.
- encapsulate the spirit of
- The festival encapsulates the spirit of the community.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sum up
- Sum up is the plain, everyday phrasal verb, while encapsulate sounds more polished and suggests capturing the very heart of a thing.
- epitomize
- Epitomize means to be the perfect example of something, whereas encapsulate means to express its essence briefly.
- summarize
- Summarize just means to give a shorter account, without the idea of capturing the core in a vivid way.
- enclose
- Enclose is the physical sense only, and it does not imply sealing something inside a capsule-like layer.
Opposites
Word family
- encapsulation noun
- the act of enclosing or summing up something
- capsule noun
- a small container, such as one holding medicine
- encapsulated adjective
- enclosed within a shell or covering
Commonly confused: encapsulate or incapsulate? encapsulate or capsulize?
encapsulate vs incapsulate
Incapsulate is a nonstandard spelling of encapsulate; the standard word begins with en-.
encapsulate vs capsulize
Capsulize means to give a short summary, and is less formal and less common than encapsulate.
Practice
Which sentence uses encapsulate in its sense of summing up an idea?
Choose one answer.
The title expresses the book's core idea in a few words, which is the summing-up sense. The other sentences give the verb a nonsense use or leave out the needed object.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “encapsulate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.