immobile

adjective

im·​mo·​bile (ˌ)i(m)-ˈmō-bəl 

-ˌbī(-ə)l,

 also  -ˌbēl

1

: not moving : motionless

keep the patient immobile

2

: incapable of being moved : fixed

immobility

ˌi-(ˌ)mō-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

Synonyms

• nonmoving
• standing
• static
• stationary

Examples of immobile in a Sentence

The tranquilizer made the animal immobile.

The accident left her immobile.

Recent Examples on the Web

However, being immobile couldn’t hold her back from stealing every scene. —Emily Longeretta, Variety, 23 Oct. 2024

Richard tells Iris a story about how a car accident that killed his grad school girlfriend Chloe and left him immobile for two months nearly broke him mentally. —Megan McCluskey, TIME, 25 Oct. 2024

Older animals like cull cows — cows who no longer produce enough milk for the dairy industry — are often brought to auction injured, sick, or otherwise immobile. —Jessica Scott-Reid, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018

Tube worms are immobile creatures that settle and grow in one place without moving, like barnacles. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 16 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English in-mobill, from Latin immobilis, from in- + mobilis mobile

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

immobile

adjective

im·​mo·​bile (ˈ)im-ˈ(m)ō-bəl 

-ˌbēl,

-ˌbīl

: unable to move or be moved

immobility

ˌim-(ˌ)ō-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

Medical Definition

immobile

adjective

im·​mo·​bile (ˈ)im-ˈ(m)ō-bəl  -ˌbēl  -ˌbīl 

1

: incapable of being moved

2

: not moving

keep the patient immobile

immobility

ˌim-(ˌ)ō-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

plural immobilities