immobilized

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "immobilized" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that has been made unable to move or function, often in a medical or mechanical context. Example: "The patient was immobilized to prevent further injury during transport."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

To photograph was to compose (with living subjects, to pose); the desire to arrange elements in the picture did not vanish because the subject was immobilized, or immobile.

The New Yorker

It's true that the protesters weren't inviting the president into a conversation, but, as the driver tries to get around them or nudge them along and men in street clothes start to force the demonstrators out of the way, the university president sits immobile or immobilized, the picture of hapless leadership.

The New Yorker

Mauriac's best-known work, the 10-volume Le Temps immobile (1974 88; "Time Immobilized"), consists of excerpts from letters, documents, and parts of other writers' works interspersed with entries from his own diaries.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Wide sweeps by armoured vehicles followed, establishing the Kessel that trapped and immobilized enemy forces.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In 1360 Hongwu was struggling with other contenders for supremacy in the Yangtze valley, while the Yuan government at Dadu (Beijing) was all but immobilized by court factionalism.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Formally known as tank respirators, iron lungs were large steel cylinders that enclosed the abdomen or the entire body (except for the head) of a patient lying immobilized on a bed.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Thus, the deposits were emplaced as medium-gravity crudes, which later became immobilized by degradation in the reservoir.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The village of Cumi��res fell in heavy fighting on May 24, but the German gains were partially reversed days later, owing to a French attack on Douaumont that immobilized German reinforcements destined for the left bank.

Encyclopedia Britannica

A bedsore, or decubitus ulcer, typically occurs on the skin of the back in immobilized or bedridden persons.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Seated on an enchanted chair, she is immobilized, and Comus accosts her while with one hand he holds a necromancer's wand and with the other he offers a vessel with a drink that would overpower her.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In an experiment earthworms try about 12 times to bring into their burrow a leaf made immobile by attachment to some object; when an unattached leaf is presented to the worm, it turns to it and ignores the immobilized leaf thereafter.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "immobilized" to describe something that has been rendered unable to move or function, particularly in medical, technical, or strategic contexts. For example, use "immobilized" to describe a patient's limb after a fracture or an enemy's forces during a battle.

Common error

Avoid using "immobilized" in purely abstract senses where words like "stalled", "hindered", or "stagnant" would be more appropriate. For instance, instead of saying "the project was immobilized by bureaucracy", consider "the project was stalled by bureaucracy".

Linguistic Context

The word "immobilized" primarily functions as an adjective, describing a state of being unable to move or function. It also appears as the past participle of the verb "immobilize". As Ludwig AI confirms, it is correct and usable in written English. Examples show its use in contexts ranging from medical conditions to strategic military situations.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Encyclopedias

30%

News & Media

52%

Science

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "immobilized" is a versatile term that effectively describes a state of being unable to move or function, as Ludwig AI confirms. Commonly found in both Encyclopedias and News & Media, it serves to communicate a condition of restricted movement, often resulting from an external action. Remember to use "immobilized" when you want to convey that something has been made unable to move or function, such as a patient with a fractured limb or enemy forces in military operations. While the term is grammatically sound, avoid overusing it in abstract scenarios where words like "stalled" or "hindered" might be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unable to move

A straightforward description of the inability to move.

rendered immobile

Emphasizes the process of becoming unable to move, often due to external factors.

incapacitated

Suggests a loss of ability to function, either temporarily or permanently, due to injury or illness.

paralyzed

Specifically indicates a loss of movement or sensation, often due to neurological damage.

restrained

Implies that movement is being prevented by external force or confinement.

out of action

Suggests temporary removal from service or activity.

motionless

Focuses on the absence of movement, without necessarily implying a cause.

made inoperative

Indicates that something is no longer functioning or able to operate.

static

Suggests a lack of change or progress, not necessarily physical movement.

fixed

Implies being held firmly in place, unable to be moved or altered.

FAQs

How can I use "immobilized" in a sentence?

You can use "immobilized" to describe something or someone rendered unable to move or function. For example, "The patient's leg was "immobilized" with a cast to promote healing" or "The enemy tanks were "immobilized" by the air strike".

What are some alternatives to "immobilized"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "incapacitated", "paralyzed", "restrained", or "unable to move".

What is the difference between "immobilized" and "paralyzed"?

"Immobilized" generally refers to a temporary or externally imposed state of being unable to move. "Paralyzed", on the other hand, usually implies a loss of muscle function, often due to a medical condition or injury. Something can be "immobilized" by restraints, but paralysis results from a problem with the nervous system.

Is "immobilized" the same as "immobile"?

No, "immobilized" is the past participle and adjective form of the verb "immobilize", meaning to make something unable to move. "Immobile" is an adjective that describes something that is not moving or cannot be moved. For example, "The car was "immobilized" by the police" (action), while "The broken-down car was "immobile"" (state).