flexible

American  

[flek-suh-buhl] / ˈflɛk sə bəl /

adjective

1. capable of being bent, usually without breaking; easily bent.

   a flexible ruler.

   Synonyms:

   supple, elastic, pliable

   Antonyms:

   stiff

2. susceptible of modification or adaptation; adaptable.

   a flexible schedule.

   Synonyms:

   compliant, tractable

   Antonyms:

   rigid

3. willing or disposed to yield; pliable.

   a flexible personality.

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noun

1. a flexible substance or material, as rubber or leather.

flexible British  

/ ˈflɛksɪbəl /

adjective

1. Also: flexile.  able to be bent easily without breaking; pliable

2. adaptable or variable

   flexible working hours

3. able to be persuaded easily; tractable

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Related Words

Flexible, limber, pliant refer to that which bends easily. Flexible refers to that which is capable of being bent and adds sometimes the idea of compressibility or expansibility: a flexible piece of rubber hose. Limber is especially applied to the body to refer to ease of movement; it resembles flexible except that there is an idea of even greater ease in bending: a limber dancer. Pliant stresses an inherent quality or tendency to bend that does not require force or pressure from the outside; it may mean merely adaptable or may have a derogatory sense: a pliant character.

Other Word Forms

• flexibility noun
• flexibleness noun
• flexibly adverb
• hyperflexible adjective
• hyperflexibleness noun
• hyperflexibly adverb
• nonflexible adjective
• nonflexibleness noun
• nonflexibly adverb
• unflexible adjective
• unflexibly adverb

Etymology

Origin of flexible

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin flexibilis “pliant, easily bent”; flex ¹, -ible

Explanation

Something that is flexible is easily bent without breaking. The flexible drinking straw was invented in the 1930s by a man who saw his daughter struggling to drink a milkshake with a straight paper straw. The word flexible can refer to bendable physical objects or to intangibles like a person's mind, which can be changed. It can even refer to work environments that can adapt schedules and benefits to fit a worker's individual needs. Being physically flexible usually means good health, with no pain in movement. In all, it's great to be flexible, to be able to bend without breaking and bounce back, ready to keep going.

Example Sentences

Despite his stiff demeanor, Dulles was a flexible thinker whose approach shifted over time.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

That’s a challenge for the grid, and the UHV lines that aren’t very flexible.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

“Universal life insurance is permanent coverage with flexible premiums and death benefits,” the law firm adds.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

She has a flexible job and an older child who can watch her youngest, so she plans to join the picket line.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Robbie nodded his head—a small parallelepiped with rounded edges and corners attached to a similar but much larger parallelepiped that served as torso by means of a short, flexible stalk—and obediently faced the tree.

From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov

Related Words

• malleable
• soft