immobilize
verb
im·mo·bi·lize
i-ˈmō-bə-ˌlīz 
immobilized; immobilizing; immobilizes
: to make immobile: such as
a
: to reduce or eliminate motion of (the body or a part) by mechanical means or by strict bed rest
b
: to prevent freedom of movement or effective use of
the planes were immobilized by bad weather
c
: to withhold (money or capital) from circulation
Examples of immobilize in a Sentence
Doctors immobilized her wrist by putting it in a cast.
I was immobilized by fear.
Recent Examples on the Web
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
See All Example Sentences for immobilize
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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
See All Example Sentences for immobilize
Cite this Entry
“Immobilize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immobilize. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
immobilize
verb
im·mo·bi·lize
im-ˈō-bə-ˌlīz
immobilized; immobilizing
: to fix in place : make immobile
Medical Definition
immobilize
transitive verb
im·mo·bi·lize
variants
also British immobilise
immobilized also British immobilised; immobilizing also British immobilising
: to make immobile
especially
: to fix (as a body part) so as to reduce or eliminate motion usually by means of a cast or splint, by strapping, or by strict bed rest
immobilizing a fractured bone by a cast and continuous traction
immobilize an injury
immobilize all patients with a suspected neck or spine injury
Legal Definition
immobilize
transitive verb
im·mo·bi·lize
i-ˈmō-bə-ˌlīz
immobilized; immobilizing
: to make immobile
specifically
: to turn (movable property) into immovable property (as by incorporating it into a building)
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