as in to paralyze
to render powerless, ineffective, or unable to move
town councils felt immobilized by the powers newly granted to the state legislation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of immobilize
The family becomes not just a support system, but also a psychological anchor, one that can either steady or immobilize.
—
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
As the machines thunder down the track, momentum causes the weight-box to slide across the trailer until the balance shifts so much that the sled digs into the ground and the back tires lift, immobilizing it.
—Zach Jaworski, NPR, 18 Aug. 2025
After he was immobilized, officers shocked him multiple times with a stun gun, according to the lawsuit.
—Christina Hall, Freep.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Freshman tight end Jacob Alvarez is also among the injured, wearing a cast on his right arm that immobilized his thumb.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for immobilize
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
As the machines thunder down the track, momentum causes the weight-box to slide across the trailer until the balance shifts so much that the sled digs into the ground and the back tires lift, immobilizing it.
—Zach Jaworski, NPR, 18 Aug. 2025
After he was immobilized, officers shocked him multiple times with a stun gun, according to the lawsuit.
—Christina Hall, Freep.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Freshman tight end Jacob Alvarez is also among the injured, wearing a cast on his right arm that immobilized his thumb.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for immobilize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for immobilize
Verb
-
But in southern states like Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas, even 1 to 3 inches can paralyze roads.—
Sirena Bergman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
-
In May 2021, one of the largest fuel pipeline systems in the United States was paralyzed when a cyberattack brought operations to an abrupt halt.—
Charlotte Reck,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
He is accused of slipping incapacitating drugs into victims’ food or drinks before assaulting them between 2021 and 2024.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
16 Oct. 2025
-
In still other situations, lapses in common knowledge can incapacitate people who really, really need to work together.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Since then, they've been forced to work remotely — at a time when the government was doling out return-to-office mandates — preventing access to labs and crippling the center's mission of embedding NASA climate scientists within international academia.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The agency warned that depleting the reserve could cripple the Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP) program, which provides emergency food assistance after natural disasters.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Adopting the Southern view, the Supreme Court issued opinions that severely undermined the legal architecture of Reconstruction.—
Equal Justice Initiative,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Others tell us that AI will completely undermine society.—
David Lyman,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Immobilize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/immobilize. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share