SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
inflexible
adjective
Unwilling or unable to change or bend.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Unwilling or unable to yield
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topInflexible describes an inability or refusal to adjust; strict emphasizes adherence to rules.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See inflexible in use
An inflexible deadline made it difficult to allow for the delayed delivery.
A temporary assistant gave a categorical refusal to accept any alternative container, declaring that no exception was possible. His inflexible response continued even after a student showed him the procedure permitting suitable substitutes.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license