rooted to the floor
Unable to move
Rooted to the floor describes being unable to move, as if one's feet had grown roots into the ground.
The phrase typically captures a moment of shock, fear, or astonishment that freezes someone in place: When she saw the intruder, she stood rooted to the floor.
Sometimes appears as rooted to the spot.
- paralyzedUnable to move voluntarily
- immobilizedMade unable to move
- stuckUnable to move
- groundedStable and realistic
- petrifiedSolidified or fear-paralyzed
turned to stone · transfixed · frozen stiff · shocked · stunned · stopped dead · deer in headlights · glued · unmovable · anchored · spellbound · stock-still · awestruck · tethered · frozen · riveted · captivated · stationary
rooted to the floorin motion
Currently changing position
mobile · on the move · ambulatory · pacing · wandering
rooted to the floorgalvanized
Stimulated into sudden activity
mobilized · snapped out of it · unfazed · reactive · responsive
rooted to the floorunanchored
Not fastened down
untethered · liberated · unbound · loose · detached
root, rooted, rooting, rootless, uproot, uprooted, uprooting, floor, floors