Synonyms of immobilize

immobilize

verb

i-ˈmō-bə-ˌlīz 

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

• paralyze
• incapacitate
• cripple
• undermine
• weaken
• disable
• hamstring
• attenuate
• undercut
• prostrate
• debilitate
• sap
• maim
• mutilate
• enfeeble
• hobble
• tire
• enervate
• knock out
• lame

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• energize
• galvanize
• invigorate
• vitalize
• strengthen
• fortify
• empower
• restore
• revive
• revitalize
• regenerate
• rejuvenate
• refresh
• freshen
• refreshen

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of immobilize

The team’s findings suggest that crushing concrete and exposing it to air during recycling or shallow burial could dramatically improve its ability to immobilize radioactive contaminants. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026

Only once the animal was immobilized did the jaws come into play, and even then, likely not for a crushing kill. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

What begins as a simple burglary spirals into a nightmarish ordeal after one sister throws out her back and becomes immobilized on the second floor. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 25 June 2026

The researchers chilled a rubidium-87 atom to near absolute zero and immobilized it inside an optical tweezer. — IEEE Spectrum, 21 June 2026