flexible

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

adj. pliant, limber, lithe, supple; adaptable. See softness, elasticity.

II

(Roget's IV) modif.

1. [Pliant]

Syn. limber, lithe, supple, willowy, plastic, elastic, bending, springy, malleable, ductile, pliable, soft, extensile, extensible, spongy, tractable, moldable, yielding, tractile, flexile, formable, bendable, impressionable, like putty, like wax, adaptable, adjustable, modifiable, stretchable, stretchy, resilient, rubbery, loose-limbed, double-jointed.

Ant. stiff*, hard, rigid.

2. [Tractable]

Syn. compliant, manageable, amenable; see docile .

Syn.- flexible refers to anything that can be bent without breaking, whether or not it returns to its original form [ a flexible wire ] ; elastic implies ability to return without permanent injury to the original size or shape after being stretched, expanded, etc. [ an elastic garter ] ; resilient implies ability to spring back into shape after being deformed, esp. by compression [resilient skin ] , and in figurative use suggests an ease in returning to good health or spirits [ a resilient attitude towards life ] ; supple is applied to that which is easily bent, twisted, or folded without breaking, cracking, etc. [ kidskin is supple]

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) a.

1. pliable bendable, pliant, elastic, supple, springy, ductile, malleable, rubbery, willowy, lithe, limber.

2. adaptable yielding, adjustable, manageable, compliant, docile, tractable, amenable.

ANT.: 1. rigid, stiff, inflexible. 2. rigid, obstinate

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) adjective 1. Capable of being shaped, bent, or drawn out, as by hammering or pressure: ductile, flexile, flexuous, malleable, moldable, plastic, pliable, pliant, supple, workable. See FLEXIBLE. 2. Capable of withstanding stress without injury: elastic, flexile, resilient, springy, supple. Physics: plastic. See FLEXIBLE. 3. Easily altered or influenced: ductile, elastic, flexile, impressionable, malleable, plastic, pliable, pliant, suggestible, supple. See FLEXIBLE. 4. Capable of adapting or being adapted: adaptable, adaptive, adjustable, elastic, malleable, pliable, pliant, supple. See CHANGE.