malleable

[ mal-ee-uh-buhl ]

adjective

1. capable of being extended or shaped by hammering or by pressure from rollers.
2. adaptable or tractable:

   the malleable mind of a child.

   Synonyms: moldable, pliable, flexible, impressionable

   Antonyms: intractable, refractory

malleable

/ ˈmælɪəbəl /

adjective

1. (esp of metal) able to be worked, hammered, or shaped under pressure or blows without breaking
2. able to be influenced; pliable or tractable

malleable

/ măl′ē-ə-bəl /

1. Capable of great deformation without breaking, when subject to compressive stress . Gold is the most malleable metal.
2. Compare ductile

Derived Forms

• ˌmalleaˈbility, noun
• ˈmalleably, adverb

Other Words From

• malle·a·bly adverb
• malle·a·bili·ty malle·a·ble·ness noun
• non·malle·a·ble adjective
• un·malle·a·ble adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of malleable¹

1350–1400; Middle English malliable < Medieval Latin malleābilis, equivalent to malle ( āre ) to hammer (derivative of Latin malleus hammer) + -ābilis -able

Word History and Origins

Origin of malleable¹

C14: via Old French from Medieval Latin malleābilis, from Latin malleus hammer

Example Sentences

Of course, as is always the case for ambitious infrastructure projects, timelines are malleable, and a lot can change over the course of a decade.

From Singularity Hub 

It’s also malleable — and variable, among individuals and cultures.

From Freakonomics

Their self-directed inventiveness with mud and recycled materials makes their perceptions of the future malleable.

From Nautilus

Compared to other regions, it’s uniquely malleable, or plastic.

From Nautilus

The idea of custom forming gel-based materials isn’t unheard of either—it’s typically used when fitting athletic mouth guards, though users typically have to boil those to make them malleable enough to shape.

From Popular-Science

Even adults like to shoehorn their bottoms into a malleable rubber swing and take a ride down memory lane.

From The Daily Beast

This gig, however, has its unique set of challenges around which to be malleable.

From The Daily Beast

They see gun rights as insecure, malleable, and under constant attack.

From The Daily Beast

Lapid may be malleable, but Bennett was without question on the hard-right, verging on undemocratic.

From The Daily Beast

So in some sense their preferences are more malleable, which enlarges the role debates can play.

From The Daily Beast

The sound of the iron hammer on the malleable metal was like muffled silver, and the sparks flew out like jocund fireflies.

From Project Gutenberg

Its consciousness of guilt had broken down her pride, and thus had made her more malleable, more humble.

From Project Gutenberg

They were poor things, but they were malleable in his hands.

From Project Gutenberg

An alloy containing 10% of gold is softer and scarcely so malleable as the pure metal.

From Project Gutenberg

The definition of steel now is that it is a compound of iron which has been cast from a fluid state into a malleable mass.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• adaptable
• flexible
• supple
• workable