as in severity
the quality or state of being demanding or unyielding (as in discipline or criticism)
the principal's inflexibility in matters of discipline is the stuff of school legend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in unchangeable
not capable of changing or being changed
the inflexible law of gravity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rigid
incapable of or highly resistant to bending
shoes made of inflexible plastic hurt my feet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in strict
not allowing for any exceptions or loosening of standards
inflexible entry rules for the contest ban anyone who works for the company as well as any of their relatives
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in stubborn
sticking to an opinion, purpose, or course of action in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion
her inflexible father was unmoved by tears and pleading, and he grounded her anyway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inflexibility
Dan Pontefract, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
But his vision for it was inflexible.
—Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025
Beyond physical challenges, frequent doctor’s appointments require time off—especially difficult for those with long hours or inflexible schedules.
—G Kirilloff, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
That often happens when the organization is run as a traditional hierarchy of authority, which is inherently inflexible.
—Steve Denning, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflexibility
Adjective
Organizations continue to grapple with inflexible leadership.
—Dan Pontefract, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
But his vision for it was inflexible.
—Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025
Beyond physical challenges, frequent doctor’s appointments require time off—especially difficult for those with long hours or inflexible schedules.
—G Kirilloff, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
That often happens when the organization is run as a traditional hierarchy of authority, which is inherently inflexible.
—Steve Denning, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inflexibility
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflexibility
Noun
-
First, because our common narrative framework depends on the past, many people still consider warming through a speculative lens, failing to recognize the severity, and urgency, of superstorms and sea-level rise.—
Heather Hansman,
The Atlantic,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Common cold symptoms: Vitamin C can help reduce the duration of the common cold and reduce the severity of its symptoms.—
Sara Hoffman, PharmD,
Verywell Health,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Nonlinear optical devices must be crafted with a single, unchangeable function determined during fabrication.—
The Physics arXiv Blog,
Discover Magazine,
31 Mar. 2025
-
The changes came after President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring that the U.S. government would only recognize two unchangeable sexes, male and female.—
Kaitlyn Schwanemann,
NBC news,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Resilience now comes from adaptive planning, not rigid protocols.—
Toby Wong,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
-
At every turn, Francis chose radical inclusion over rigid control, and conscience over comfort.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Augusta National Golf Club, where the tournament takes place each April, has a strict no cell phone and cameras rule during the four days of official competition.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
18 Apr. 2025
-
So Read, a 56-year-old sexologist and writer based in Calgary, Canada, developed a strict sleep and bedtime routine.—
Erica Sweeney,
SELF,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Traders do see the Fed cutting in June, but much can change between now and then, and a stubborn central bank could set off Trump again.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2025
-
The most glaring of those misses came against Arsenal in October, with Bournemouth trying to break down a stubborn defence following William Saliba’s dismissal.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
This is a man who lives within the rigidity of his religion, within the confines of residential school.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
30 Mar. 2025
-
Given the rigidity of the NFL’s uniform policy, the Titans could all but monopolize the use of the blue in their primary uniforms for several seasons.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Presuming any group to be unchanging stood in the way of understanding evolutionary changes.—
John P. Jackson,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2025
-
These unchanging elements can serve as anchors during turbulent times.—
Susanne Biro,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
After tariffs were unveiled earlier this month, the market went into a steep sell-off until Trump issued a 90-day pause on the stiff rates for most countries.—
Sean Conlon,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2025
-
While a soufflé typically starts by separating egg whites from the yolks and beating the whites until stiff, this recipe skips this step—giving the dish a more casserole-like characteristic with a still-fluffy result.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
16 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inflexibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflexibility. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.
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