Meaning & use

incarnate

adjective·Advanced

Embodied in physical, especially human, form; representing a quality or idea in a concrete, living being.

See it in a sentence

To his enemies, the general seemed like nothing less than cruelty incarnate.

The frightened villagers whispered that the strange visitor was evil incarnate.

A note on using this word

Incarnate almost always follows the noun it modifies, as in 'evil incarnate,' rather than preceding it.

Words with a similar meaning

embodiedpersonified

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. verb

To give a bodily or concrete form to an idea or quality.

The artist tried to incarnate hope itself in a single sculpture.

Make it your own

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