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.
Scientists are also paying close attention to key early-life stages – from pregnancy to around the age of seven – when a child’s weight regulation system is particularly malleable.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
Risk-taking comes more naturally to those who spent childhood—when we are most malleable and impressionable—roaming, exploring and resolving conflicts independent of adult intervention.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
The cylinder itself is sealed with a thin protective layer of a soft, malleable metal called indium.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
Colbert proved just how malleable he can make the late-night format during an interview with Dua Lipa.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026
She made the decorated pins herself, melting and molding malleable plastic into interesting shapes, seated at a picnic table in her backyard a few weekends ago.
From "Saints and Misfits" by S.K. Ali
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.
