flaccid

adjective

flac·​cid ˈfla-səd How to pronounce flaccid (audio)
also
ˈflak-səd How to pronounce flaccid (audio)
1
a
: not firm or stiff
also : lacking normal or youthful firmness
flaccid muscles
b
of a plant part : deficient in turgor
2
: lacking vigor or force
flaccid leadership
flaccidity noun
flaccidly adverb

Examples of flaccid in a Sentence

Virgil Thomson, in his review of the evening, called the libretto "flaccid and spineless," but that is unfair. It is a witty piece of writing. J. D. McClatchy, New Republic, 29 Nov. 1993
Her hands are long and slim, delicate, as Dorothy's were; her handshake is flaccid, her smile is sweet but unconvincing. Richard Bausch, Esquire, August 1990
Half must have been, of course, men and women over fifty and their bodies reflected the pull of their character … many a man had a flaccid paunch … Norman Mailer, Harper's, November 1968
the flaccid stalks of celery that had been around for far too long
Recent Examples on the Web Pelosi’s flaccid redbaiting reminds us to be ever vigilant. Doris Bittar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2024 An unsophisticated rigid-axle rear suspension and soft damping result in the best boulevard ride but the most flaccid handling. Frank Markus, Car and Driver, 31 Aug. 2023 During that same stretch, the cultural discourse has changed a great deal, while Byington’s voice remains remarkably (if somewhat frustratingly) consistent, churning out self-deprecating feature-length sitcoms about flaccid man-babies. Peter Debruge, Variety, 9 Aug. 2023 Genitalia are all over the recent paintings, whether flaccid penises drooping over scrotums or volatile vulvae. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2023 That, a ham and cheese croissant and a chocolate twist pastry were more flaccid than flaky. Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2023 Since then, the genre has gone flaccid, and like most flaccid things concerning white men, there’s been almost too much analysis of why. Vulture, 5 Apr. 2022 The research showed that men dissatisfied with their penises respond well to educational counseling about the average size, which is 3.6 inches long when flaccid, and 5.2 inches erect. Ava Kofman, ProPublica, 26 June 2023 Who’s Coming to Dinner is an amiable but flaccid farce about two upper-middle-class people — Poitier’s widowed Black doctor and Katherine Houghton’s much younger white socialite — who fall in love. Vulture, 8 Jan. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flaccid.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin flaccidus, from flaccus flabby

First Known Use

1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of flaccid was in 1620

Dictionary Entries Near flaccid

Cite this Entry

“Flaccid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flaccid. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

flaccid

adjective
: not firm or stiff

Medical Definition

flaccid

adjective
: not firm or stiff
also : lacking normal or youthful firmness
flaccid muscles
flaccidity noun
plural flaccidities

More from Merriam-Webster on flaccid

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