flex
verb (used with object)
to bend, as a part of the body.
flex
1 American
[fleks]
/ flɛks /
verb (used with object)
-
flexes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
flexed,
past participle, past
-
flexing
present participle
-
to bend, as a part of the body.
He flexed his arms to show off his muscles.
-
to tighten (a muscle) by contraction.
-
to demonstrate (one’s ability, expertise, etc.).
She’s flexed her marketing skills for various clients in the publishing industry.
-
Slang. to boast or brag about; flaunt.
He’s just not into flexing his success.
verb (used without object)
-
flexes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
flexed,
past participle, past
-
flexing
present participle
-
to bend.
-
Slang. to boast or brag; show off.
In his rap lyrics he flexes about his fancy lifestyle.
noun
-
flexes
plural
-
the act of flexing.
-
Slang. a boast or brag.
It's not a flex, but we have the best burgers here.
-
British.
-
any flexible, insulated electric cord; an electric cord or extension cord.
-
Slang. an elastic band, as a garter.
-
-
Mathematics. an inflection point.
verb phrase
flex
2
American
[fleks]
/ flɛks /
adjective
flex-
3
American
Also
flexi-.
flex
British
/ flɛks /
noun
-
US and Canadian name: cord. a flexible insulated electric cable, used esp to connect appliances to mains
-
informal flexibility or pliability
verb
-
to bend or be bent
he flexed his arm
his arm flexed
-
to contract (a muscle) or (of a muscle) to contract
-
(intr) to work according to flexitime
-
to test or display (one's authority or strength)
Usage
What else does flex mean? Flex is a slang term meaning "to show off," whether it be your physique, your belongings, or some other thing you consider superior to those of others. The act of flexing is often criticized as a power move, considered arrogant and insincere.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
flexsimple
-
flexessimple
-
have flexedperfect
-
has flexedperfect
-
am flexingprogressive
-
are flexingprogressive
-
is flexingprogressive
-
have been flexingperfect progressive
-
has been flexingperfect progressive
Past
-
flexedsimple
-
had flexedperfect
-
was flexingprogressive
-
were flexingprogressive
-
had been flexingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of flex1
First recorded in 1515–25; (adjective) from Latin flexus, past participle of flectere “to bend, turn”; (noun) from Latin flexus act of bending, equivalent to flect(ere) + -tus suffix of verbal action
Origin of flex2
Shortening of flexible
Explanation
When you flex something, you bend or contract it. To appear super tough, you might flex your archery bow while flexing your muscles. Things curve and bend when they flex, whether they're human joints or objects made of a bendable material like plastic or soft wood. Another way to flex is to tense or contract a muscle: "The weightlifter flexes her biceps." Experts suspect that flexible came first, from the Latin root flexibilis, "flexible, pliant, or yielding," and figuratively, "tractable, or easily influenced."
Vocabulary lists containing flex
Strike A Pose: Positions and Posture
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Dance - Introductory
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flec, flex
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Following a recent rule change, he adds, lenders are also offering more "flex" on how much someone can borrow as long as it's within their means.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
Compare that to the mainland, where the robot waiter reaches me the way it’s built to: a viral clip and a “look how advanced we are” flex.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
Most human ankles, in comparison, can flex by roughly 20 degrees.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 31, 2026
“The blessing is that we were able to flex resources down into the area and try for a very aggressive initial attack.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
New buildings in Japan are designed to rock and flex rather than break, helping them weather strong quakes.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
Better day care, plentiful jobs at decent wages, flex- time and job sharing would all help to reduce the stresses on American households, which are overtaxed, overburdened and overwhelmed.
From Time Magazine Archive
As a hot piece of Cancon—the term for entertainment content made in Canada—”Heated Rivalry” capped a year of serious flexes for the country.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 22, 2026
Typically, there have been three or four flexes to this point.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 20, 2025
The duo mirroring Hulk Hogan-style underarm bicep flexes after winning their semi-final was one of the defining images.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2025
"Imagine, for example, a heart implant that bends and flexes with each heartbeat but still lasts for years."
From Science Daily ● Nov. 27, 2024
And then he flexes his fingers and shrugs matter-of-factly.
From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman
When the researchers deliberately flexed the membrane, they observed stable voltage signals.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 31, 2026
Last year, it flexed its economic and diplomatic muscle, responding to Trump with tit-for-tat tariffs and restricting the export of rare earth minerals essential for advanced manufacturing.
From BBC ● May 14, 2026
His wife’s trust flexed its muscle when it elected Miles Everson to the board over the weekend.
From Barron's ● Apr. 22, 2026
Harvard-Westlake 10, Arizona Casteel 8: Jake Kim flexed his muscles for the second consecutive game, hitting a home run and double to finish with three RBIs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 28, 2026
I flexed my bare feet against the ground, trying to keep my legs still.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
Faced with cut-throat competition at home, Chinese firms such as BYD and Chery have been flexing their muscles abroad.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
Nvidia is flexing its financial muscle to address AI chip competitors but it comes with risks.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
Mamdani offered an amiable leftist alternative to “making the trains run on time,” flexing state power to make life easier and more affordable for average citizens.
From Salon ● Aug. 14, 2026
Dos Santos did some vein-popping flexing on the sideline.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026
Snapping drums, a flexing of sound, and a high threading of guitar over a smoother cadence and then the man sang.
From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
