Synonyms of rigidity

rigidity

noun

rə-ˈji-də-tē 

as in severity

the quality or state of being demanding or unyielding (as in discipline or criticism)

sometimes the rigidity of the headmaster's discipline was deemed excessive by even much of the faculty

Synonyms & Similar Words

• severity
• rigidness
• inflexibility
• strictness
• sternness
• hardness
• stringency
• harshness
• rigorousness
• rigor
• exactingness
• obduracy
• implacability
• callousness
• gruffness
• steadfastness
• pitilessness
• resolve
• monasticism
• firmness
• obstinacy
• stubbornness
• dourness
• hard-heartedness
• asceticism
• determination
• obdurateness
• austerity
• austereness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• flexibility
• tolerance
• gentleness
• softness
• patience
• tenderness
• indulgence
• kindness
• laxness
• responsiveness
• willingness
• forbearance
• mildness
• compliance
• lenience
• pliability
• pliancy

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of rigidity

The cotton-blend fabric looks and feels like denim, but with less uncomfortable rigidity. — Anna Traver, InStyle, 19 Aug. 2026

Hobbyists constantly ask for bigger build volumes, but scaling a CoreXY machine beyond the typical desktop footprint introduces a very different class of engineering challenges involving motion control, thermal management, rigidity, and reliability. — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 15 Aug. 2026

Certification bodies and government stakeholders – constituencies that typically favor precision – are trending in the opposite direction, choosing flexibility over rigidity in the face of political headwinds. — Mike Feibus, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026

Yet Reagan, especially at Reykjavik, was hobbled at times by rigidity and tunnel vision. — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026