as in severity
the quality or state of being demanding or unyielding (as in discipline or criticism)
the principal's inflexibility in matters of discipline is the stuff of school legend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in unchangeable
not capable of changing or being changed
the inflexible law of gravity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rigid
incapable of or highly resistant to bending
shoes made of inflexible plastic hurt my feet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in strict
not allowing for any exceptions or loosening of standards
inflexible entry rules for the contest ban anyone who works for the company as well as any of their relatives
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
her inflexible father was unmoved by tears and pleading, and he grounded her anyway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of inflexibility
New Atlas, 23 Mar. 2025
Some employers are inflexible about working conditions for working parents even immediately after a disaster.
—Christine Ro, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
Organizations continue to grapple with inflexible leadership.
—Dan Pontefract, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
But his vision for it was inflexible.
—Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflexibility
Adjective
This could unlock new capabilities in soft robots, which operate more mechanically because they are fitted with inflexible components.
—New Atlas, 23 Mar. 2025
Some employers are inflexible about working conditions for working parents even immediately after a disaster.
—Christine Ro, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
Organizations continue to grapple with inflexible leadership.
—Dan Pontefract, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
But his vision for it was inflexible.
—Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflexibility
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflexibility
Noun
-
First, because our common narrative framework depends on the past, many people still consider warming through a speculative lens, failing to recognize the severity, and urgency, of superstorms and sea-level rise.—
Heather Hansman,
The Atlantic,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Common cold symptoms: Vitamin C can help reduce the duration of the common cold and reduce the severity of its symptoms.—
Sara Hoffman, PharmD,
Verywell Health,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The changes came after President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring that the U.S. government would only recognize two unchangeable sexes, male and female.—
Kaitlyn Schwanemann,
NBC news,
31 Mar. 2025
-
Nonlinear optical devices must be crafted with a single, unchangeable function determined during fabrication.—
The Physics arXiv Blog,
Discover Magazine,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Resilience now comes from adaptive planning, not rigid protocols.—
Toby Wong,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
-
At every turn, Francis chose radical inclusion over rigid control, and conscience over comfort.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The Portuguese manager built his success by adhering to a strict 3-4-3 system at Sporting Lisbon.—
Brett Koremenos,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Known for his Marian devotion—which encourages piety and seeks the intercession of the Virgin Mary—and strict doctrinal stances, he is viewed as a potential challenger to Parolin, especially in early voting rounds and has odds of 7/1.—
Tom Rogers,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Why Communication Training Often Fails To Stick Some people are very stubborn and stick to their communication style, even when confronted.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
-
The most glaring of those misses came against Arsenal in October, with Bournemouth trying to break down a stubborn defence following William Saliba’s dismissal.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
That property means more energy storage tends to come at the price of more rigidity.—
Saul Elbein,
The Hill,
11 Apr. 2025
-
The reality was that Mavis’s mother didn’t have much time for her, being—like the grandmother in the story—not very maternal, though, in her case, this was attributable not to rigidity but to narcissism.—
Margaret Atwood,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Typically, scientists think of cratons as unchanging, nigh on eternal.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
17 Apr. 2025
-
There’s a strong element of passion in it, whereas my dad’s need to save money was a slow-burning, unchanging aspect of his relation to the world.—
Geoff Dyer,
Harpers Magazine,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
In contrast, Trump faces stiff opposition in liberal states.—
Mohammed Soliman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Despite being high cut and stiff, Jackson’s combination of explosiveness and raw power will keep him in the league for a long time.—
Dane Brugler,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inflexibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflexibility. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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