limber
1 of 3adjective
lim·ber ˈlim-bər 
1
: having a supple and resilient quality (as of mind or body) : agile, nimble
2
: capable of being shaped : flexible
limberly adverb
limberness noun
limber
2 of 3verb
limbered; limbering ˈlim-b(ə-)riŋ
intransitive verb
: to become limber
limber up by running
transitive verb
: to cause to become limber
limber up his fingers
limber
3 of 3noun
: a two-wheeled vehicle to which a gun or caisson may be attached
Synonyms
Adjective
- bendy [chiefly British]
- flexible
- lissome
- lissom
- lithe
- lithesome
- pliable
- pliant
- supple
- willowy
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective he shaped the basket out of limber branches that could bend easily around a frame
Recent Examples on the Web
Forrest Brown, CNN, 21 June 2022 Phoenix, like all of this year’s acting favorites, has been the clear front-runner for some time, for his morose yet limber Joker. Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2020 Not surprisingly, given his experience and expertise, Djokovic came out loose, limber and locked in. Howard Fendrich, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Feb. 2020 Not surprisingly, given his experience and expertise, Djokovic came out loose, limber and locked in. Time, 2 Feb. 2020 Economists debated how much Japan’s slump owed to weak demand rather than economic rigidities, for example an insufficiently limber corporate sector. The Economist, 5 Dec. 2019 There is a core group that comes at least once a week: a mix of firefighters, teachers, politicians, lawyers, boxers and a very limber 81-year-old woman. Tiffany Martinbrough, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2018 In fact, Brady looked pretty spry and limber when stretching. Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 26 July 2019 Miller-Weston also brings a kind of exquisitely offhand viciousness to the vacuous Mrs. Wormwood, and has a hands-down hilarious scene with her alarmingly limber dance teacher Rudolpho (a memorable Ala Tiatia). James Hebert, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2019 Jessica Sebor, Outside Online, 26 Aug. 2022 Dansby was nearing the end of his career when Vigil was a Bengals rookie, and used to stimulate his muscles electrically with a machine rather than lift weights to keep himself limber. José M. Romero, The Arizona Republic, 11 Aug. 2022 Associate concertmaster Stephanie Jeong gave a captivating, singular performance as the yarn-spinning Sheherazade, her solos limber and richly expressive. Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2022 Just as people do crosswords or Sudoku to keep their brains limber, cats play to stay on top of their feline game. Jessica Hartshorn, Good Housekeeping, 14 June 2022 The song thrives with alluring minimalism, as a circular guitar riff, crisp drums, and limber bassline provide a portal into the heady wilderness of Adrianne Lenker’s poetry. Spin Staff, SPIN, 3 June 2022 Stroeer has used the platform to keep both her body and mind limber in between expeditions for the past two years. Outside Online, 11 May 2020 The Grammy nominee keeps his fingers, hands and wrists limber and strong with a resistance band routine. WSJ, 23 Apr. 2022 This person needs to find a way to still do their job while accommodating the fact that one of their shoulders may not be as strong or limber as the other. Kaiser Health News, oregonlive, 11 Nov. 2021 See More
Adjective
For thousands of years, people have turned to yoga to feel more limber, release stress and rejuvenate their overall physical and mental health. Forrest Brown, CNN, 21 June 2022 Phoenix, like all of this year’s acting favorites, has been the clear front-runner for some time, for his morose yet limber Joker. Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2020 Not surprisingly, given his experience and expertise, Djokovic came out loose, limber and locked in. Howard Fendrich, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Feb. 2020 Not surprisingly, given his experience and expertise, Djokovic came out loose, limber and locked in. Time, 2 Feb. 2020 Economists debated how much Japan’s slump owed to weak demand rather than economic rigidities, for example an insufficiently limber corporate sector. The Economist, 5 Dec. 2019 There is a core group that comes at least once a week: a mix of firefighters, teachers, politicians, lawyers, boxers and a very limber 81-year-old woman. Tiffany Martinbrough, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2018 In fact, Brady looked pretty spry and limber when stretching. Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 26 July 2019 Miller-Weston also brings a kind of exquisitely offhand viciousness to the vacuous Mrs. Wormwood, and has a hands-down hilarious scene with her alarmingly limber dance teacher Rudolpho (a memorable Ala Tiatia). James Hebert, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2019 Verb
But there is a right way and a wrong way to limber up. Jessica Sebor, Outside Online, 26 Aug. 2022 Dansby was nearing the end of his career when Vigil was a Bengals rookie, and used to stimulate his muscles electrically with a machine rather than lift weights to keep himself limber. José M. Romero, The Arizona Republic, 11 Aug. 2022 Associate concertmaster Stephanie Jeong gave a captivating, singular performance as the yarn-spinning Sheherazade, her solos limber and richly expressive. Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2022 Just as people do crosswords or Sudoku to keep their brains limber, cats play to stay on top of their feline game. Jessica Hartshorn, Good Housekeeping, 14 June 2022 The song thrives with alluring minimalism, as a circular guitar riff, crisp drums, and limber bassline provide a portal into the heady wilderness of Adrianne Lenker’s poetry. Spin Staff, SPIN, 3 June 2022 Stroeer has used the platform to keep both her body and mind limber in between expeditions for the past two years. Outside Online, 11 May 2020 The Grammy nominee keeps his fingers, hands and wrists limber and strong with a resistance band routine. WSJ, 23 Apr. 2022 This person needs to find a way to still do their job while accommodating the fact that one of their shoulders may not be as strong or limber as the other. Kaiser Health News, oregonlive, 11 Nov. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective
origin unknown
Noun
Middle English lymour
First Known Use
Adjective
1565, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Verb
1748, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing limber
Kids Definition
limber 1 of 2
adjective
lim·ber ˈlim-bər
: bending easily
limber
2 of 2verb
limbered; limbering
: to make or become limber
Before a race, I limber up with exercises.
limberness
noun
as in elasticity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- elasticity
- adaptability
- workability
- suppleness
- pliancy
- flexibility
- pliability
- plasticity
- workableness
- resilience
- ductility
- malleability
- pliableness
- pliantness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rigidity
- stiffness
- inflexibility
- block paper
- block paragraph
- block party
- block plan
- block plane
- block print
- block programming
- block rate
- block salt
- block shot
- block signal
- block signal system
- block station
- block sugar
- block system
- block teeth
- block test
- block tin
- block vote
- block worker
- block-caving
- block-in-course
- block-in-course bond
- block-saw
- block-universe