Agile
What it means
Able to move or respond quickly while retaining control.
Reach for it when praising quick, coordinated movement or thought
With an agile change of plan, the crew unloaded before the storm arrived.
Words to choose between 8
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm | |
| professional |
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| formal | |
| literary |
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everyday
Fits when light, quick movement or thought is the exact impression
Careful Nimble sounds less suited to formal praise of an organization.
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everyday
Fits when speed alone is the feature that matters
Careful Quick does not promise coordination, judgment, or controlled response.
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warm
Fits when lively physical movement, especially in an older person, is admired
Careful It can sound patronizing if age is irrelevant or the subject is a team.
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professional
Fits when effective adjustment across changing conditions is proven
Careful Adaptable emphasizes fit; agile emphasizes speed and ease.
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professional
Fits when readiness to change direction is more important than speed
Careful Flexible can remain slow and deliberate, whereas agile adds quick response.
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professional
Fits when the strength lies in reacting promptly to needs or feedback
Careful Response to an outside signal is not required for all agile movement.
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formal
Fits when skillful hand movement or manipulation deserves emphasis
Careful Mental or organizational agility is wider than manual dexterity.
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literary
Fits when graceful physical movement should sound vivid
Careful It does not work for mental agility or business decision-making.
Opposites 3
- clumsy
- sluggish
- rigid
Common phrases 3
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agile thinker
An agile thinker, Lu saw how the two constraints could solve each other.
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agile response
The museum's agile response kept the outdoor event safe and welcoming.
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mentally agile
She stayed mentally agile by learning unfamiliar songs by ear.
Word family 1
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, California accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated