flexibility

[flek-suh-bil-i-tee]

noun

1. the ability to bend easily or without breaking.

   The shoe soles are made from elastic materials to provide perfect flexibility.

2. the quality of being easily adapted or of offering many different options.

   This blogging platform is becoming more and more popular because of its flexibility, power, and simplicity.

3. the ability and willingness to adjust one’s thinking or behavior.

   Being a resilient parent is all about flexibility.

Other Word Forms

• hyperflexibility noun
• nonflexibility noun
• unflexibility noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of flexibility¹

First recorded in 1610–20; from Latin flexibilitāt-, stem of flexibilitās, equivalent to flexibili(s) “pliant, easily bent” + -tās -ty ² ( def. ); flexible ( def. )

Example Sentences

A YouTube TV spokeswoman said the new pact with Disney “preserves the value of our service for our subscribers and future flexibility in our offers.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“We’re happy to share that we’ve reached an agreement with Disney that preserves the value of our service for our subscribers and future flexibility in our offers,” YouTube said in a statement.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

That might draw scorn from state regulators, whose moral flexibility on gambling tends to extend only as far as their taxing authority.

Read more on Barron's

The deal’s flexibility helped lift visits to the sit-down chain over the last quarter.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Their blend of conductivity, strong light absorption and mechanical flexibility has made them key candidates for next-generation electronic and optical devices.

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

• resilience