immovable

or im·move·a·ble

[ ih-moo-vuh-buhl ]

adjective

1. incapable of being moved; fixed; stationary.
2. incapable of being influenced by feeling; emotionless:

   an immovable heart; an immovable tyrant.

3. incapable of being moved from one's purpose, opinion, etc.; steadfast; unyielding.

   Synonyms: adamant, unbending, inflexible, obdurate

4. not subject to change; unalterable.
5. not moving; motionless.
6. Law.
   1. not liable to be removed, or permanent in place.
   2. (of property) real, as distinguished from personal.
7. not changing from one date to another in different years:

   Christmas is an immovable feast.

noun

1. something immovable.
2. immovables, Law. lands and the appurtenances thereof, as trees and buildings.

immovable

/ ɪˈmuːvəbəl /

adjective

1. unable to move or be moved; fixed; immobile
2. unable to be diverted from one's intentions; steadfast
3. unaffected by feeling; impassive
4. unchanging; unalterable
5. (of feasts, holidays, etc) occurring on the same date every year
6. law
   1. (of property) not liable to be removed; fixed
   2. of or relating to immoveables Compare movable

Derived Forms

• imˈmovably, adverb
• imˌmovaˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• im·mova·bili·ty im·mova·ble·ness noun
• im·mova·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of immovable¹

1325–75; Middle English immevable, immovable; im- ², movable

Example Sentences

For a playground to facilitate that, it needs to be more than a single immovable structure that kids see day in and day out, says Karen Martin, a public health researcher at the University of Western Australia in Perth.

From Popular-Science

It’s a fiery counterpoint to the Nets-Bucks series that has seemed like the hypothetical unstoppable force not so much colliding with an immovable object but with a wet paper bag.

From FiveThirtyEight

Put a 60-pound dog behind it, run into something immovable at 35 mph, and your pup will generate nearly three times that much force as it flies forward.

From Outside Online

Still, she and others said the board had to adopt Calendar D this week in part because it represented the best option available and the school board was running up against an immovable deadline.

From Washington Post

We’re used to thinking about unstoppable offenses or immovable defenses, but this Alabama team can do it all.

From FiveThirtyEight

Those are the roots, the immovable ties blind to ethics probes and corruption charges that are difficult to rip from the ground.

From The Daily Beast

These stories are the immovable objects of Star Wars history, the characters and events to which all other tales must align.

From The Daily Beast

What does happen when the irresistible force meets the immovable object?

From The Daily Beast

The reality, though, is that no force is irresistible and no object is immovable.

From The Daily Beast

How many more monuments, churches, libraries, and immovable works of art lay in the path of war?

From The Daily Beast

But the grip was immovable, and he found himself staring into the unemotional face of Seton Pasha.

From Project Gutenberg

For a full hour he sat there immovable as a statue, reflecting, ever recalling the details of those events.

From Project Gutenberg

Sara Lee, breathless and terrified, stood close to a cabin door and remained immovable.

From Project Gutenberg

The youngsters can not remain immovable, and the effort to make them do so is irritating to no purpose.

From Project Gutenberg

David, terrified, lifted the half-closed eyelid of the youth: his eye was immovable, dull and glassy.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• immobile
• immutable
• impassive
• inflexible
• motionless
• stationary
• steadfast
• uncompromising
• unshakable
• unyielding