inflexibility

/ɪnˌfleksəˈbɪləti/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˌfleksəˈbɪləti/ (ame, ipa) · /(¦)in ən+/ (ame, mw)

inflexibility — noun

1. an attitude, rule, or system that stays fixed and will not change to fit new sit

1.名詞C1
釋義

an attitude, rule, or system that stays fixed and will not change to fit new situations or people's needs — for example, a boss who refuses to alter shift hours, or a policy that ignores special circumstances.

例句

The inflexibility of the school's uniform rules upset many parents of teenage girls.

the inflexibility of [N] for naming a rigid policy

Ada criticised her manager's inflexibility about working from home after the baby arrived.

inflexibility about [N] for naming a fixed attitude

同義詞
  • rigidity

    very close synonym; slightly more formal and academic

  • stubbornness

    narrower — focused on a person's refusal to change their mind

  • obstinacy

    formal; suggests irrational or unreasonable refusal

  • intransigence

    very formal; common in political and diplomatic contexts

反義詞

文法句型

the inflexibility of [N]

inflexibility about [N]

用法筆記

Almost always uncountable, and almost always negative — the speaker disapproves of the rigid attitude, rule, or system being described. Subject of the criticism is typically a person, organisation, policy, or system.

常見錯誤

❌He showed many inflexibilities at work.
✅He showed a lot of inflexibility at work.
💡inflexibility is uncountable; do not pluralise.
❌I admire her inflexibility on safety standards.
✅I admire her firmness on safety standards.
💡inflexibility is almost always negative; use 'firmness' or 'resolve' for praise.

2. the physical property of a material or body part that resists bending — for exam

2.名詞C1
釋義

the physical property of a material or body part that resists bending — for example, the stiffness of dry leather, a frozen pipe, or an aging knee joint.

例句

The inflexibility of the steel beams made them perfect for the bridge supports.

the inflexibility of [material] as a useful property

Years of office work had caused a painful inflexibility in Lakan's lower back.

inflexibility in [body part] for stiffness

同義詞
  • stiffness

    everyday word; preferred in casual speech about bodies and materials

  • rigidity

    more formal; common in engineering and medical writing

反義詞
  • flexibility

    the standard opposite — bends easily

  • suppleness

    positive — bends easily and gracefully, often of bodies or leather

文法句型

the inflexibility of [material/body part]

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 by subject: a material, body part, or object is physically stiff (sense 2); a person, rule, or system refuses to adapt (sense 1). Often appears alongside concrete nouns like 'joints', 'muscles', 'leather', 'plastic', 'beams'.

常見錯誤

❌My grandfather has inflexibility.
✅My grandfather has joint inflexibility.' or 'My grandfather's joints are stiff.
💡name the body part or use 'stiffness' for everyday speech.