INFLEXIBILITY Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

inflexibility

noun

Definition of inflexibility

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

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of inflexibility Long agrees, but adds that those who may be child-free should beware of many of those accounts' inflexibility. — Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026 Signs of a low travel IQ include inflexibility, ignoring cultural norms, and panicking over minor issues. — Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026 Disappointed at Alice’s inflexibility, and still haunted by his experiences with Nate, Ted suspends her for a match, the final match before the Christmas break. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026 Before Ramos’ injury, rookie Bryce Eldridge was receiving inconsistent playing time, partly due to the roster’s inflexibility. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 28 June 2026 The frustration is in the inflexibility. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2026 The Red Sox could also try to move on from Masataka Yoshida, though his contract, injury history and positional inflexibility will hamper his trade value. — Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 16 Jan. 2026 Roster inflexibility could further complicate matters. — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026 And many folks thought that that was a type of dogmatism and inflexibility that was not productive. — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for inflexibility

Noun

Among various scientific projects, his NCBRS Worldwide Foundation is partnering with the University of Dusseldorf to map the variance in the severity of symptoms seen across NCBRS patients.

— Deepa Fernandes, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
However, baseline motor and cognitive measures were similar among participants in the new study, and the associations were still apparent after researchers adjusted for disease severity.

— Jennifer Fields, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of severity

Noun

But there is a point where confidence can quietly become certainty, and certainty can become rigidity.

— Antonia Bowring, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Because different areas of the striatum correspond to different types of movement, the researchers propose that similar imbalances in other striatal circuits could potentially contribute to other forms of behavioral rigidity, as per the release.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of rigidity

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inflects

inflexibility

inflexible

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“Inflexibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inflexibility. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of inflexibility

noun

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