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Flexible

adj. capable, resilient professional

What it means

Meaning 1

Ready to adjust plans or methods when circumstances change.

Reach for it when praising adaptability in a person, schedule, policy, or approach

A flexible coordinator rearranged the sessions around the delayed train.

Meaning 2

Able to bend without breaking or losing usefulness.

Reach for it when describing a material or body that moves through a range

The flexible seal follows the curve of the old window frame.

Words to choose between 8

By register, from playful at the top to literary at the bottom, and by meaning across. Tap a word to see when it fits.
Meaning 1Meaning 2
everyday
warm
professional
formal
literary

Meaning 1: Ready to adjust plans or methods when circumstances change.

  • warm

    accommodating

    Fits when willingness to meet other people's needs is the virtue

    Careful It can suggest over-compliance when self-protection is important.

  • warm

    open-minded

    Fits when new ideas receive genuine consideration

    Careful Open-mindedness can remain theoretical without any practical adjustment.

  • professional

    adaptable

    Fits when someone changes effectively across different conditions

    Careful Adaptable suggests broad capacity, while flexible may mean one negotiable plan.

  • professional

    versatile

    Fits when one person or tool succeeds in several roles

    Careful Versatility concerns range, not willingness to revise a decision.

Meaning 2: Able to bend without breaking or losing usefulness.

  • everyday

    bendable

    Fits when plain language about physical movement is enough

    Careful It says nothing about resilience after repeated bending.

  • professional

    elastic

    Fits when the material returns toward its former shape

    Careful Not every flexible object stretches or springs back.

  • formal

    pliable

    Fits when a material is easily shaped

    Careful Applied to a person, pliable can imply weak resistance or manipulation.

  • literary

    supple

    Fits when smooth, graceful bending is being admired

    Careful Supple sounds bodily or tactile and rarely fits a schedule.

Opposites 3

  • rigid
  • inflexible
  • brittle

Common phrases 3

  • flexible approach

    A flexible approach kept the lesson useful for mixed ability levels.

  • flexible schedule

    The flexible schedule let carers attend either session.

  • flexible material

    A flexible material protects the cable as the door moves.

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