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Synonym Chooser

How is the word inflexible distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words rigid and stiff are common synonyms of inflexible. While all three words mean "difficult to bend," inflexible stresses lack of suppleness or pliability.

ski boots with inflexible soles

In what contexts can rigid take the place of inflexible?

The words rigid and inflexible are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rigid applies to something so stiff that it cannot be bent without breaking.

a rigid surfboard

When might stiff be a better fit than inflexible?

The meanings of stiff and inflexible largely overlap; however, stiff may apply to any degree of this condition.

stretching keeps your muscles from becoming stiff

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inflexible Generally, though, utilities such as Xcel Energy, Intermountain Power Agency and Tri-State Generation & Transmission are moving forward with plans to retire their coal plants, namely because the aging facilities are dirty, inefficient, inflexible and, most of all, no longer profitable. Jonathan Thompson, Denver Post, 5 Aug. 2025 Inevitably there will be the school that has strict rules about what students can wear on campus—rules that might feel inflexible and restricting to a kid whose identity is still developing. Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 29 July 2025 Many adults continue to be excluded from tertiary education due to barriers such as location, cost, or inflexible schedules. Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 26 July 2025 Teaching them a new angle would require just a few days of coding work on most contemporary turbines, says Dabiri, but that was not an option for the relatively inflexible control systems running at Pincher Creek. IEEE Spectrum, 1 July 2019 See All Example Sentences for inflexible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflexible
Adjective
  • On the other hand, cooperative and validating communication can help when problems are minor or unchangeable.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The State Department suspended processing applications from Americans seeking to update their passports with a new gender marker in January, shortly after President Trump signed an executive order proclaiming the U.S. recognizes only two unchangeable sexes, male and female.
    Brooke Migdon, The Hill, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Kong said this soft approach helps address risks such as ulcers, puncture injuries, and inflammation, which are often linked to rigid devices inside the body.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Brits still point to the overrepresentation of French names in high-status professions as evidence of a rigid and enduring class system.
    Will Collins, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Sulfide electrolytes fall apart when exposed to humidity, demanding strict atmospheric controls during manufacturing.
    Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Another 22% want innovation with strict risk controls.
    Lawrence Wintermeyer, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Inflation is stubborn, unemployment is rising and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell has even confirmed that Gen Z grads just can’t get a break right now.
    Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Clean With Vinegar And Dish Soap Dish soap cuts through grease and grime to make removing stubborn dirt easier.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • For decades, scientists have considered the moon a dead world—a silent, unchanging landscape where nothing stirs.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 14 Sep. 2025
  • An unchanging body map could be a huge boost for the emerging field of brain-computer interfaces, which can allow a paralyzed person to speak or move a robotic arm.
    Jon Hamilton, NPR, 27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • These two were working very stiff, including a gnarly pair of double-knees by Stephanie Vaquer to Kairi Sane.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The bristles are neither too floppy nor too stiff, neither too long nor too short, and are cut to the perfect rounded shape that’s just right for swirling pigment over the apples or spreading it along your cheekbones—without having to work too hard for a completely natural finish.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products.
    Ryley Amond, CNBC, 20 Sep. 2025
  • Instead, this is about rigorous proofs found in mathematical logic via algorithmic search.
    Byron Cook, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • But while much of record labels’ promotional efforts have shifted to platforms including TikTok, Shinedown has remained adamant about the importance of terrestrial radio.
    Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 18 Sep. 2025
  • In a 24/7 news cycle, Hemmer is adamant about balancing urgency with accuracy.
    Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Inflexible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflexible. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.

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