adjective
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easily bent; supple
a pliant young tree
-
easily modified; adaptable; flexible
a pliant system
-
yielding readily to influence; compliant
Related Words
See flexible.
Other Word Forms
- nonpliancy noun
- nonpliant adjective
- nonpliantly adverb
- nonpliantness noun
- pliancy noun
- pliantly adverb
- pliantness noun
- unpliancy noun
- unpliant adjective
- unpliantly adverb
- unpliantness noun
Etymology
Origin of pliant
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old French, present participle of the verb plier ply 2; -ant
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.
As originally conceived, Mossadegh was to be quietly arrested and replaced by a pliant new prime minister, Gen. Fazlollah Zahedi.
From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026
Mr. Lendorf stood out for his unerring, dignified demeanor and the clarity of his pliant upper-body carriage against the marvelous surety of his cats-paw footwork and quietly powerful legwork.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026
Her baskets are mostly the yellowish brown color of her main thread, strips of basket rush made pliant after soaking in water.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026
Those familiar with Crosstrek over the years should be equally surprised by the hush and pliant ride of today’s model.
From MarketWatch • Nov. 26, 2025
The clay felt good— fine, pliant, smooth—but not ready yet.
From "A Single Shard" by Linda Sue Park
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.
