1
as in unchangeable
not capable of changing or being changed
the inflexible law of gravity
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2
as in rigid
incapable of or highly resistant to bending
shoes made of inflexible plastic hurt my feet
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inflexible
For the most part, Ruth carries out her daily chores, and submits to the Brotherhood’s inflexible vision of domesticity.
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Hannah Gold, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2025
These advantages contrast sharply with official gen-AI deployments, where complex integrations, inflexible interfaces, and lack of persistent memory often stall progress.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2025
Generally, though, utilities such as Xcel Energy, Intermountain Power Agency and Tri-State Generation & Transmission are moving forward with plans to retire their coal plants, namely because the aging facilities are dirty, inefficient, inflexible and, most of all, no longer profitable.
—Jonathan Thompson, Denver Post, 5 Aug. 2025
Teaching them a new angle would require just a few days of coding work on most contemporary turbines, says Dabiri, but that was not an option for the relatively inflexible control systems running at Pincher Creek.
—IEEE Spectrum, 1 July 2019
See All Example Sentences for inflexible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflexible
Adjective
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On the other hand, cooperative and validating communication can help when problems are minor or unchangeable.—
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The State Department suspended processing applications from Americans seeking to update their passports with a new gender marker in January, shortly after President Trump signed an executive order proclaiming the U.S. recognizes only two unchangeable sexes, male and female.—
Adjective
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Unlike traditional approaches, HydroSpread lets ultrathin polymer films form directly on water, eliminating the fragile and error-prone step of transferring films from rigid surfaces.—
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For Williams, slow dating isn’t about rigid rules or waiting 90 days before intimacy.—
Adjective
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Cinema sometimes has to know how to give in to a cause, but another thing entirely is to impoverish cinema by attributing to documentary cinema a mere and strict role of denunciation.—
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The group’s operating profit jumped 40 percent in the third quarter, chalked up to an improved customer offering, strict cost controls and better gross margins, against a smaller store footprint and relatively flat sales growth.—
Adjective
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For years, scientists have focused on finding ways to neutralize or eliminate this stubborn waste.—
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That ever-persistent chasm that has existed between white students and those of color in public schools has remained stubborn in Michigan, where more than 18% of Michigan's public school students are Black.—
Adjective
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The unchanging routines of the characters also make the world feel sterile.—
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There’s a traditional idea of the United States as a melting pot, in which immigrant groups assimilate into an unchanging national culture.—
Adjective
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Symptoms vary among people but can include fever, flu-like symptoms, headache, stiff neck, confusion and loss of balance.—
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While the position of Miami mayor is officially nonpartisan, party affiliation could become a major sticking point in November, with some political insiders speculating that González’s stiffest competition is Higgins, a Democrat.—
Adjective
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Every tax article is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors.—
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The National Nuclear Security Administration funds the sensors, which undergo rigorous shock, vibration, thermal vacuum, and prompt X-ray testing to survive launch and the harsh space environment.—
Adjective
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While the police union is adamant the city needs to provide them raises, some community advocates have spoken out, arguing the police department already takes up a significant amount of the city's budget.—
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And in a now-viral TikTok, Stunna was adamant about denying last-minute plus-ones to his wedding.—
Cite this Entry
“Inflexible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflexible. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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