Synonyms of pliable

pliable

adjective

ˈplī-ə-bəl 

1

as in flexible

able to bend easily without breaking

the wooden strips become more pliable if they are first soaked in water

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flexible
• pliant
• plastic
• floppy
• supple
• limber
• willowy
• bendy
• adaptable
• lissom
• malleable
• lithe
• elastic
• modifiable
• ductile
• lissome
• yielding
• lithesome
• variable
• fluid
• limp
• flaccid
• kneadable
• droopy
• semiflexible

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rigid
• stiff
• inflexible
• stiffened
• inelastic
• unyielding
• brittle
• fragile
• nonmalleable
• breakable

2

as in adjustable

capable of being readily changed

with such iffy weather, we had to keep our vacation schedule fairly pliable

Synonyms & Similar Words

• adjustable
• adaptable
• flexible
• malleable
• elastic
• changing
• alterable
• variable
• changeable
• versatile
• varying
• modifiable
• fluid
• unstable
• labile
• inconstant
• fluctuating
• unsteady

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• inelastic
• fixed
• inflexible
• immutable
• unchangeable
• invariable
• unalterable
• established
• stable
• uniform
• set
• constant
• unadaptable
• steady
• nonmalleable
• ramrod
• unchanging
• unbudgeable
• unvarying

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective pliable contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of pliable are adaptable, ductile, malleable, plastic, and pliant. While all these words mean "susceptible of being modified in form or nature," pliable suggests something easily bent, folded, twisted, or manipulated.

pliable rubber tubing

In what contexts can adaptable take the place of pliable?

The words adaptable and pliable can be used in similar contexts, but adaptable implies the capability of being easily modified to suit other conditions, needs, or uses.

computer hardware that is adaptable

When would ductile be a good substitute for pliable?

The words ductile and pliable are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, ductile applies to what can be drawn out or extended with ease.

ductile metals such as copper

When might malleable be a better fit than pliable?

While in some cases nearly identical to pliable, malleable applies to what may be pressed or beaten into shape.

the malleable properties of gold

When can plastic be used instead of pliable?

Although the words plastic and pliable have much in common, plastic applies to substances soft enough to be molded yet capable of hardening into the desired fixed form.

plastic materials allow the sculptor greater freedom

When is pliant a more appropriate choice than pliable?

In some situations, the words pliant and pliable are roughly equivalent. However, pliant may stress flexibility and sometimes connote springiness.

an athletic shoe with a pliant sole

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of pliable

When temperatures rise above three hundred and fifty degrees Celsius, rock becomes soft and pliable. —Brent Crane, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2025

Then science kicks in, with molecules in the steak’s fat making the tannins more pliable, producing softer, smoother sensations, while the wine’s tannins mellow out the fat and coax more flavor out of the meat. —Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2025

Flint The cellulose also underpins a more versatile, pliable battery structure, allowing Flint to make batteries in different forms. —New Atlas, 25 Feb. 2025

Use the pliable tube for neck support, lumbar support, or even as a footrest on the plane. —Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2025