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Synonym Chooser

How is the word inflexible distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words rigid and stiff are common synonyms of inflexible. While all three words mean "difficult to bend," inflexible stresses lack of suppleness or pliability.

ski boots with inflexible soles

In what contexts can rigid take the place of inflexible?

The words rigid and inflexible are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rigid applies to something so stiff that it cannot be bent without breaking.

a rigid surfboard

When might stiff be a better fit than inflexible?

The meanings of stiff and inflexible largely overlap; however, stiff may apply to any degree of this condition.

stretching keeps your muscles from becoming stiff

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 inflexible Conversely, two-thirds of women who had flexibility in their hours planned to stay at their jobs up to five years, while less than 20% in inflexible positions said the same. Aisha Nyandoro, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025 However, severe, inflexible deformities that need aggressive bony carpentry to correct the spine’s alignment carry complication rates up to 60%, with major deformity surgeries posing a 1% mortality risk within a year. Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025 Almost two-thirds of US workers struggle with volatile, inflexible work schedules, according to a new national Gallup survey, called the American Job Quality Study, published Tuesday. Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 10 June 2025 Combined with automations and data workflows, this strategy allows for plug-and-play adaptability across state lines, a rarity in the often inflexible world of ERP. Peter Su, Rolling Stone, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for inflexible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflexible
Adjective
  • The policy change was brought on by President Donald Trump’s executive order declaring that there are only two, unchangeable sexes, the VA said.
    Jo Yurcaba, NBC News, 17 Mar. 2025
  • In his first weeks in office, President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders targeting trans rights, including one stating the U.S. government would recognize only two unchangeable sexes and another barring trans people from military service.
    Brooke Sopelsa, NBC news, 13 May 2025
Adjective
  • Unlike rigid anomaly detection models, LLMs have the capability of identifying unknown threats and can reduce false positives significantly.
    Karan Alang, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • The wall, which was built in the late 1990s and is 2,278 feet long, undulates instead of forming a rigid line.
    Jennie Rothenberg Gritz, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 July 2025
Adjective
  • Officials accomplished this by re-evaluating risk, putting strict limits on how long a person can be held in isolation and expanding behavioral health programs.
    Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 June 2025
  • The train itself is powered by energy-efficient DX-class diesel-electric locomotives, and the carrier maintains strict environmental protocols, including waste minimization and recycling practices on board.
    Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Adjective
  • One of the people that is most stubborn in their support of these spendy projects is Senator Todd Young, a Republican from Indiana.
    Roger Valdez, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • For indoor brick, keep it simple by trying a slightly damp brush to sweep away stubborn dirt.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 29 June 2025
Adjective
  • Published in 1915, and already widely accepted worldwide by physicists and mathematicians, the theory assumed the universe was static – unchanging, unmoving and immutable.
    Rob Coyne, The Conversation, 10 June 2025
  • Life expectancy continues to climb while our economic and workplace systems remain stubbornly unchanging.
    Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
Adjective
  • Trump’s 90-day pause on the stiffest tariffs is set to end on July 9.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 27 June 2025
  • Perhaps most importantly, as Trump backed off from the stiffest tariffs on key U.S. partners.
    Spriha Srivastava, CNBC, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • Experimental adoption is fine, as long as it's paired with rigorous due diligence and clearly defined outcomes.
    Stephanie Domas, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • Hunting was off limits, as was trapping or poisoning, and the listing included rigorous habitat protections.
    Christine Peterson, Vox, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • Among the holdouts are members of the SALT Caucus, who have been adamant that any deal from the Senate that does not match the one that passed the House is dead on arrival.
    Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 27 June 2025
  • President Donald Trump has been adamant his tariffs will bring factory jobs back to American shores.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Inflexible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflexible. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on inflexible

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