supple
Americanadjective
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bending readily without breaking or becoming deformed; pliant; flexible.
a supple bough.
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characterized by ease in bending; limber; lithe.
supple movements.
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characterized by ease, responsiveness, and adaptability in mental action.
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compliant or yielding.
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obsequious; servile.
verb (used with or without object)
adjective
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bending easily without damage
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capable of or showing easy or graceful movement; lithe
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mentally flexible; responding readily
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disposed to agree, sometimes to the point of servility
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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supplesimple
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supplessimple
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have suppledperfect
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has suppledperfect
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am supplingprogressive
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are supplingprogressive
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is supplingprogressive
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have been supplingperfect progressive
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has been supplingperfect progressive
Past
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suppledsimple
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had suppledperfect
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was supplingprogressive
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were supplingprogressive
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had been supplingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of supple
1250–1300; (adj.) Middle English souple flexible, compliant < Old French: soft, yielding, lithe < Latin supplic- (stem of supplex ) submissive, suppliant, equivalent to sup- sup- + -plic-, variously explained as akin to plicāre to fold 1, bend (thus meaning “bent over”; cf. complex), or to plācāre to placate 1 (thus meaning “in the attitude of a suppliant”); (v.) Middle English supplen to soften, derivative of the noun (compare Old French asoplir )
Explanation
Something or someone that is supple bends and moves easily, like a contortionist at a circus sideshow. If you can wrap your legs around your neck, you most likely have a supple body. Supple is often used as an adjective describing a body — such as a dancer’s; a fabric — such as soft leather; or a sound — such as an accomplished singer’s voice. This makes for a strange supple family, but all of its members can move with ease and flexibility. More idiomatically, supple can also be used to describe a mind. In this sense, it does not mean “easily brainwashed,” but has a more positive association with the open-mindedness of free-thinkers.
Vocabulary lists containing supple
The Hunger Games
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Romeo and Juliet
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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.
See Examples For:
Their metallic frames covered in supple, lifelike skin, a posse of new Chinese robots meant for companionship can offer users AI-generated conversation or a hand to hold, complete with manicured nails.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
That was all down to Styles' supple and powerful band.
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026
Let it bubble gently until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, but still supple.
From Salon ● Apr. 7, 2026
His language is supple and his portraits of characters invariably delightful.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
But by and large they modified their landscapes in stable, supple, resilient ways.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
The aviation giant said their suppler informed them the installation of fittings on the rear of the plane did not follow the standard.
From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2023
With so much cash waiting to be spent, let’s make sure those resources result in more trained workers, more efficient institutions and able bureaucracies, sharper strategies, increased innovation and suppler supply chains.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 24, 2021
Mitchell’s prose is suppler and richer than ever, and his ability to conjure a historical milieu he never actually experienced does not falter.
From Slate ● Jul. 6, 2020
Further "sharp practices" included retrospective discounts, where firms seek to apply discounts to outstanding money owed to a suppler, late payment and discounts for paying on time, FSB said.
From BBC ● Dec. 11, 2014
His French grew suppler and more docile, answered more truly to the individuality behind it.
From The History of David Grieve by Ward, Humphry, Mrs.
“Energy” seems to operate on wires; it’s taut minimalism, with the supplest layering of sub-bass tones.
From New York Times ● Jul. 29, 2022
I stand in awe of Rylance's genius, but the play, written by his wife, Claire van Kampen, struck me as a candle-lighted diversion for the world's supplest barnstormer.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2018
Jessica Lange, one of the supplest film actresses of her generation, is the heavy favorite to win her first Tony.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2016
It’s a counterintuitive fact that a player with the supplest shot in the NBA, whose overarching quality is feel, has the hands and work habits of a woodchopper.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 8, 2016
Rajesh had once been the most promising of the brothers—the nimblest, the supplest, the most charismatic, the most energetic, the most beloved and idolized by my father and his family.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
They make razors and hair products and have donated a ton of supples to Astor Place Hair, so we’re discussing ways to partner on video profiles.
From New York Times ● Feb. 12, 2021
Backing correctly supples the horse, and adds grace and precision to his natural motions.
From New Method of Horsemanship Including the Breaking and Training of Horses, with Instructions for Obtaining a Good Seat. by Baucher, F.
"He supples all and discommends none, except where his commendations might crosse the company, and then he holds his peace,"—after the words "what is civil."
From Microcosmography or, a Piece of the World Discovered; in Essays and Characters by Earle, John
I propose to rub old man Jacob into Billy by way of liniment until he supples, yes, and works.
From A Man in the Open by Pocock, Roger
In such boyish dreaming the soul learns to do and dare, hardens and supples itself, and puts on youthful beauty; for here is its palaestra.
From Heart of Man by Woodberry, George Edward
The human neurons continued to mature as the mouse brain suppled them with blood vessels.
From New York Times ● Oct. 12, 2022
Responders weighed the risks versus benefits and decided to give the VSV-ZEBOV vaccine, which is suppled by Merck and stockpiled by the WHO, to children as young as 1 year old.
From Washington Times ● Aug. 13, 2018
Middlesbrough players congratulate Stuani who suppled the cross and turned in for an own goal by Bellusci.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 27, 2015
The little man suppled the great ash-plant in his hands and raised it.
From Bob, Son of Battle by Ollivant, Alfred
The exertion necessary to execute this lesson is severe if the pupil has not been well suppled before being put on horseback.
From The Barb and the Bridle A Handbook of Equitation for Ladies, and Manual of Instruction in the Science of Riding, from the Preparatory Suppling Exercises by Moustache, Vielle
Dalén invented a neat little device that would, when heated by the sun, pinch off the gas suppling a lighthouse’s beacon.
From Slate ● Dec. 27, 2016
There are vehicles of every size and description booming down the roadway, in and out of the city, like giant human arteries suppling NYC with energy and nutrients.
From New York Times ● Nov. 28, 2016
There are a great many other suppling practices, but the above, varied occasionally by the use of the dumb-bells, will be found sufficient for all practical purposes.
From The Barb and the Bridle A Handbook of Equitation for Ladies, and Manual of Instruction in the Science of Riding, from the Preparatory Suppling Exercises by Moustache, Vielle
It is here that we will be enabled to appreciate the good effects and the indispensable necessity of suppling the neck and haunches.
From New Method of Horsemanship Including the Breaking and Training of Horses, with Instructions for Obtaining a Good Seat. by Baucher, F.
Bring the hands together in front of the figure, as in the second suppling practice, the points of the fingers joining, the whole frame erect and well drawn up from the waist.
From The Barb and the Bridle A Handbook of Equitation for Ladies, and Manual of Instruction in the Science of Riding, from the Preparatory Suppling Exercises by Moustache, Vielle
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.
