plastic

adjective

Definition of plasticnext
1
as in waxy
capable of being easily molded or modeled Silly Putty is famous for being very plastic

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mock
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality there's usually a plastic cordiality at these corporate events

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective plastic contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of plastic are adaptable, ductile, malleable, pliable, and pliant. While all these words mean "susceptible of being modified in form or nature," plastic applies to substances soft enough to be molded yet capable of hardening into the desired fixed form.

plastic materials allow the sculptor greater freedom

In what contexts can adaptable take the place of plastic?

While in some cases nearly identical to plastic, adaptable implies the capability of being easily modified to suit other conditions, needs, or uses.

computer hardware that is adaptable

When can ductile be used instead of plastic?

The words ductile and plastic can be used in similar contexts, but ductile applies to what can be drawn out or extended with ease.

ductile metals such as copper

When is it sensible to use malleable instead of plastic?

Although the words malleable and plastic have much in common, malleable applies to what may be pressed or beaten into shape.

the malleable properties of gold

When would pliable be a good substitute for plastic?

The meanings of pliable and plastic largely overlap; however, pliable suggests something easily bent, folded, twisted, or manipulated.

pliable rubber tubing

When might pliant be a better fit than plastic?

The words pliant and plastic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, pliant may stress flexibility and sometimes connote springiness.

an athletic shoe with a pliant sole

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 plastic Use a sharp garden trowel and dispose of the plants in a plastic bag. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 11 June 2025 Protesters threw stones and plastic water bottles at police cruisers and onto the 101 Freeway, temporarily stopping traffic, and members of the crowd set several driverless Waymo cars on fire, producing a funnel of black smoke. —E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 9 June 2025 The black weights came with handles, weight plates and a plastic storage tray. —Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 6 June 2025 Moreover, these plastic threads less than 5 millimeters long, are released in billions with every laundry cycle. —Dianne Plummer, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for plastic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for plastic
  1. waxy
  2. mock
  3. strained
  4. adaptable
  5. fake
  6. malleable
  7. unnatural
  8. mechanical
Adjective
  • But only one point of perspective on the property has actually seen all the waxy stories so often told today.
    — Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 14 June 2025
  • In most versions the snow was sparse, decorative, filmic snow with giant, waxy flakes, its silence the silence of a soundstage.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2025
Definition of waxy
Adjective
  • The couple misspelled words a few times during their mock challenge against him.
    — Joey Nolfi Published, EW.com, 2 June 2025
  • Know the difference by testing candidates in mock sales situations.
    — Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Definition of mock
Adjective
  • Coulombe has been out since May 5 with a strained left forearm.
    — Aaron Gleeman, New York Times, 7 June 2025
  • The official synopsis for Father Mother Sister Brother reads: Estranged siblings reunite after years apart, forced to confront unresolved tensions and reevaluate their strained relationships with their emotionally distant parents.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 6 June 2025
Definition of strained
Adjective
  • The offices that thrive in this new phase will be those that establish clear and adaptable roles, cultivate a culture of institutional memory, and utilize technology and partnerships to maximize the potential of small, high-impact teams.
    — Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025
  • The more adaptable the schedule, the more positively employees view their company’s policies, the Cisco report also found.
    — Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 13 June 2025
Definition of adaptable
Adjective
  • There’s a backdrop of fake news and collective anxiety.
    — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 5 June 2025
  • Federal agents concluded that many of the documents, which were turned over by an attorney representing the restaurant, were fake or falsified, according to the warrant.
    — Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2025
Definition of fake
Adjective
  • But at least the younger generation is still malleable!
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 1 June 2025
  • In the film, morality becomes ambiguous, and malleable even, as Coogler brilliantly illustrates duality in his characters and their development while incorporating themes of Hoodoo and Christianity.
    — Nia Shumake, Essence, 15 May 2025
Definition of malleable
Adjective
  • The case is one of hundreds in the Medieval Murder Maps database, which uses coroners' rolls to track real cases of unnatural death in 14th-century England—now mapped across cities like London, Oxford, and York.
    — Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 June 2025
  • With tensions already flaring, a nightmarish encounter with a mysterious, unnatural force threatens to corrupt their lives, their love, and their flesh.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 June 2025
Definition of unnatural
Adjective
  • Speciale is a twin-turbo V-6 engine that, combined with an electric motor, makes 867 mechanical horsepower.
    — Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 16 June 2025
  • Modern vehicles aren’t just mechanical marvels anymore—they’re software platforms on wheels.
    — John Ellis, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
Definition of mechanical

Browse Nearby Words

plasters
plastic
plasticity
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Plastic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/plastic. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on plastic

Nglish: Translation of plastic for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about plastic

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