elastic
adjective
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Definition of elastic
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a of a solid : capable of recovering size and shape after deformation
b : relating to or being a collision between particles in which the total kinetic energy of the particles remains unchanged
2 : capable of recovering quickly especially from depression or disappointment my elastic spirits revived— Wilkie Collins
3 : capable of being easily stretched or expanded and resuming former shape : flexible an elastic bandage
4a : capable of ready change or easy expansion or contraction : not rigid or constricted an elastic concept
b : receptive to new ideas : adaptable an elastic mind
elastic
nounDefinition of elastic (Entry 2 of 2)
1a : easily stretched rubber usually prepared in cords, strings, or bands
b : rubber band
2a : an elastic fabric usually made of yarns containing rubber
b : something made from this fabric
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Other Words from elastic
Adjective
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adverb
Synonyms & Antonyms for elastic
Synonyms: Adjective
bouncy, flexible, resilient, rubberlike, rubbery, springy, stretch, stretchable, stretchy, supple, whippy
Antonyms: Adjective
inelastic, inflexible, nonelastic, rigid, stiff
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Examples of elastic in a Sentence
Adjective
when vacationing, we generally have very elastic daily sightseeing plansNoun
She wrapped an elastic around the cards.Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
Developers facing intense competition and elastic consumer demand may absorb the full commission, while others may charge consumers more for in-app purchases. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "The Antitrust Bar vs. Apple," 23 Nov. 2018 The bee can do this because of an elastic material in its wings called resilin, which allows it to crumple its wings like folding origami and bounce back. — David L. Hu, WSJ, "Robot Design Goes Back to Nature," 9 Nov. 2018 Anyway, Oculus Quest duplicates the more rigid straps of the Rift proper, which is a huge improvement over Go’s flimsy elastic. — Hayden Dingman, PCWorld, "The $399 Oculus Quest is a premium VR headset with no wires—and no PC required," 26 Sep. 2018 Skintight cycling-style silhouettes and sheeny elastic materials gave this collection an active feel that ran throughout. — Thomas Adamson, The Seattle Times, "Starry Saint Laurent show in Paris sees models walk on water," 25 Sep. 2018 Twist your pigtails from root to end, then wrap the twist around your elastic and secure it with bobby pins. — Zoë Weiner, Teen Vogue, "Millie Bobby Brown Brings Her Ribbon Spin to Space Buns," 5 Sep. 2018 The elastic clause that safely cleared a way to theaters for Adventures in Babysitting needs a workout. — Charles Bramesco, Vox, "Eighth Grade’s R rating deters actual 8th graders from seeing it. What a shame.," 18 July 2018 The elastic panel at the lower back keeps the waist from bagging or pinching, and all those seams across the hips accommodate curves. — Kelly Bastone, Outside Online, "Europeans Know How to Make Women's Mountain Bike Shorts," 29 June 2018 Then there’s Taylor McFerrin, the elusive, elastic vocalist, beat boxer and synth player (oh, and Bobby McFerrin’s son) who has existed under the radar since his 2014 solo LP, Early Riser. — Molly Eichel, Philly.com, "Album reviews: SOPHIE, Dierks Bentley, R + R = Now," 12 July 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Plus, the soft material is far easier on your hair than tight elastics. — refinery29.com, "The Unexpected '90s Trend That Celebs Are Loving," 20 June 2018 Try to avoid tight hair ties, like elastics, that week, which could put extra stress on the hair. — Loren Savini, Allure, "The Best Products and Techniques for Strengthening Breakage-Prone Hair," 23 May 2018 Jazz up a ponytail or a half-up, half-down style with one of these soft elastics (the Cut staff is already obsessed). — Ashley Weatherford, The Cut, "The Best Spring Hair Accessory Trends," 17 Apr. 2018 Add colored elastics into her hair to add a fun touch to this versatile updo. — Sasha Henriques, Woman's Day, "The 10 Best Back-to-School Hairstyles for Kids," 25 July 2017 These are high-brow and highly enjoyable alternatives to generic elastics that wind around hair and are a pain to take out. — Shannon Barbour, The Cut, "Silk Scrunchies Are Here," 13 Mar. 2018 Flip the tail ends up, tuck them in between your head and the clear elastics, and pull them out through the bottom to create the topsy tails. — Brooke Shunatona, Cosmopolitan, "15 Super-Easy Hairstyles for Lazy Girls Who Can't Even," 12 Dec. 2017 Friendships should be enduring and flexible like rubber bands, but sometimes elastics snap. — Jessica Ariel Wendroff, Teen Vogue, "5 Signs It's Time to Break Up With Your BFF," 2 Nov. 2017 Add colored elastics into her hair to add a fun touch to this versatile updo. — Sasha Henriques, Woman's Day, "The 10 Best Back-to-School Hairstyles for Kids," 25 July 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'elastic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for elastic
elastic
adjectiveFinancial Definition of elastic
What It Is
Something is elastic when its price varies with the price of another item. It the business world, the term most often refers to how much the price of a good or service changes when the supply of that good or service changes.
The formula for elasticity is:
Elasticity = % Change in Quantity/% Change in Price
How It Works
Let's assume that when gas prices increase by 50%, gas purchases fall by 25%. Using the formula above, we can calculate that the price elasticity of gasoline is:
Elasticity = -25%/50% = -0.50
Thus, we can say that for every percentage point that gas prices increase, gas purchases decrease by half a percentage point. The price of gas is elastic.
Why It Matters
If demand changes a lot when prices change a little, the demand for a product is elastic. This often is the case for products or services for which there are many alternatives or for which consumers are price sensitive.
The opposite is also true: When there is a small change in demand when prices change a lot, the product is inelastic. This is often the case for products and services that people consider necessities and will purchase at almost any price. The presence of few good substitutes and the presence of customer loyalty are also factors. At some point, however, there is a price at which demand for any good or service will fall to zero or near zero.
Source: Investing Answers
elastic
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of elastic
(Entry 1 of 2)
: able to return to an original shape or size after being stretched, squeezed, etc.
: able to be changed
elastic
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of elastic (Entry 2 of 2)
: material that can be stretched : elastic fabric
See the full definition for elastic in the English Language Learners Dictionary
elastic
adjective
\
Kids Definition of elastic
(Entry 1 of 2)
: capable of returning to original shape or size after being stretched, pressed, or squeezed together
elastic
nounKids Definition of elastic (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : rubber band
2 : material that can be stretched
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elastic
adjective
\
Medical Definition of elastic
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a of a solid : capable of recovering size and shape after deformation
b of a liquid : capable of resisting compression
c of a gas : capable of indefinite expansion
2 : capable of being easily stretched or expanded and resuming former shape
Other Words from elastic
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adverb
elastic
nounMedical Definition of elastic (Entry 2 of 2)
1a : easily stretched rubber usually prepared in cords, strings, or bands
b : a band of elastic used especially in orthodontics also : one placed around a tooth at the gumline in effecting its nonsurgical removal
2a : an elastic fabric usually made of yarns containing rubber
b : something made from this fabric
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