inelastic

[in-i-las-tik]

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.

inelastic

/ ˌɪnɪlæsˈtɪsɪtɪ, ˌɪnɪˈlæstɪk /

adjective

1. not elastic; not resilient

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

Other Word Forms

• inelasticity noun
• inelastically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of inelastic¹

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.”

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

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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.

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"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.

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

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