malleable
Americanadjective
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capable of being extended or shaped by hammering or by pressure from rollers.
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adaptable or tractable.
the malleable mind of a child.
- Synonyms:
- pliable, flexible, moldable, impressionable
- Antonyms:
- intractable, refractory
adjective
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(esp of metal) able to be worked, hammered, or shaped under pressure or blows without breaking
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able to be influenced; pliable or tractable
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Capable of great deformation without breaking, when subject to compressive stress. Gold is the most malleable metal.
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Compare ductile
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of malleable
1350–1400; Middle English malliable < Medieval Latin malleābilis, equivalent to malle ( āre ) to hammer (derivative of Latin malleus hammer) + -ābilis -able
Explanation
A malleable metal is able to be pounded or pressed into various shapes, and a malleable personality is capable of being changed or trained. It's easier to learn when you're young and malleable. Just as there are substances that are malleable, including clay and some metals, there are also ductile metals that can be hammered out into wire or thread; gold, silver, and platinum are examples. The adjective malleable dates back to Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin malleābilis, from malleāre, "to hammer."
Vocabulary lists containing malleable
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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.
The world of politics is more malleable and short-term.
From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026
A core principle of NIN is that the band is malleable.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026
“The microbiome is malleable and early in life is when it gets set up,” said Justin Sonnenburg, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford University, who has led several studies on the infant microbiome.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026
It was malleable and oblong, perfectly complemented by a waft of boy-next-door blond locks and a brow that could convey emotion just as well as any histrionic soap dialogue.
From Salon • Feb. 15, 2026
Sweet girl meant that, for a long time, Don had molded Ranyinudo into a malleable shape, or that she had allowed him to think he had.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
