rooted to the spot
Paralyzed in place
Rooted to the spot describes being unable to move, as if your feet had grown roots into the ground.
The phrase captures sudden paralysis from shock, fear, or astonishment: She stood rooted to the spot when she saw the bear.
Unlike frozen, which emphasizes coldness or rigidity, rooted suggests being held fast by invisible force.
- stillUnmoving, or continuing
- stock stillUtterly without movement
- immobilizedMade unable to move
- stationaryNot in motion
- motionlessLacking all movement
stopped dead · paralysis · mesmerize · deer in headlights · petrifaction · dread · surprise · stuck · glued · nailed down · transfixed · bewilderment · anchored · apprehension · terror · astonishment · slack-jawed · struck dumb
- stillnessstillness, motionless, motionlessness, immobility, unmoving
rooted to the spotfleeing
Rapid escape from danger
running away · bolting · taking flight · running for one's life · beating a hasty retreat
rooted to the spotsnapped out of it
rooted to the spotuntethered
Not fastened to anything
unmoored · footloose · on the loose · free as a bird · mobile
root, rooted, roots, rooting, rootless, uproot, uprooted, uprooting, spot