inflexible
/ɪnˈflɛksɪb(ə)l
/adjective
1Unwilling to change or compromise: once she had made up her mind, she was inflexible...
- When you disagree with her or won't go along with something she wants to do, she's completely inflexible and unwilling to compromise.
- People over 35 were thought to be ‘too inflexible and unwilling to learn’.
- It would appear that the new order of Catholicism is as equally inflexible and uncompromising, as the old order would appear to be.
Synonyms
stubborn, obstinate, obdurate, intractable, intransigent, unbending, immovable, inexorable, unadaptable, unaccommodating;
hidebound, set in one's ways, blinkered, single-minded, pig-headed, mulish;
uncompromising, dogged, adamant, firm, resolute, diehard, steely, iron-willed, dyed-in-the-wool
formal refractory
1.1Not able to be changed or adapted to particular circumstances: inflexible rules...
- The contract is inflexible, whatever the circumstances.
- And it's not surprising that governments make inflexible stands in circumstances such as these relating to children.
- This week's inflexible attitudes and blinkered thinking is just the scenario you naughty Aquarians love to be outrageous and make mischief in
Synonyms
unalterable, unchangeable, unvarying, unwavering, unshakeable, entrenched;
firm, fixed, set, established, hard and fast, uncompromising;
stringent, rigorous, strict, severe, inexorable, immutable
2Not able to be bent; stiff: heavy inflexible armour...
- Janice was fairly stiff and inflexible, with a bad back, so the movements were geared to her level of ability.
- Your vertebrae begin to grow together, forming vertical bony outgrowths and becoming stiff and inflexible.
- When they're cold, they're stiff and inflexible, and forcibly stretching them could lead to injury or strains.
Synonyms
rigid, stiff, non-flexible, unyielding, unbending, unbendable, taut, hard, firm, inelastic
rare impliable, unmalleable
Derivatives
inflexibly
- It is the consequence of a basically linguistically-orientated content delivered inflexibly and mechanistically.
- She is often inflexibly wrong but passionately convincing.
- Isn't it more important to save one more life than inflexibly sticking to the rules?
Origin
Late Middle English: from Latin inflexibilis, from in- 'not' + flexibilis 'flexible'.