inelastic

American  

[in-i-las-tik] / ˌɪn ɪˈlæs tɪk /

adjective

1. not elastic; lacking flexibility or resilience; unyielding.

   Synonyms:

   uncompromising , rigid , inflexible

2. Economics.  relatively unresponsive to changes, as demand when it fails to increase in proportion to a decrease in price.

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inelastic British  

/ ˌɪnɪlæsˈtɪsɪtɪ, ˌɪnɪˈlæstɪk /

adjective

1. not elastic; not resilient

2. physics (of collisions) involving an overall decrease in translational kinetic energy

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Other Word Forms

• inelastically adverb
• inelasticity noun

Etymology

Origin of inelastic

First recorded in 1740–50; in- ³ + elastic

Example Sentences

In Hsueh’s mind, this clears the way for reserve managers at central banks to step in, “given their theoretically infinite investment horizon” and a major source of “inelastic demand growth since 2021.”

From MarketWatch

I’m also positive on Vital Farms, the market leader in pasture-raised eggs—an inelastic product at grocery stores.

From Barron's

Further verification of this discovery came through 'polarization-resolved resonant inelastic x-ray scattering', where the magnetic excitations were revealed to significantly deviate from the behaviors anticipated for those in conventional magnets.

From Science Daily

"In our latest study, we examine the potential effects that a dark photon could have on the complete set of experimental results from the deep inelastic scattering process," said Professor Thomas.

From Science Daily

Trump doesn't look like a loser, because voting in the US is almost completely inelastic: there are very few "true" swing voters.

From Salon