inflexibly

/ɪnˈfleksəbli/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪnˈfleksəbli/ (ame, ipa) · /(ˈ)in ən+/ (ame, mw)

inflexibly — 副詞

1. while refusing to adjust a rule, opinion, or plan, even when the situation clear

1.副詞C1
釋義

不通融地

堅持規則或意見而不肯調整

while refusing to adjust a rule, opinion, or plan, even when the situation clearly calls for a different approach

例句

The new principal inflexibly enforced the dress code, even on the hottest summer days.

新校長不通融地執行服裝規定，連最熱的夏天也一樣。

adverb modifying verb of strict rule application

Piotr stuck inflexibly to his budget, refusing to spend a dollar more on the kitchen.

Piotr 固執地堅守預算，廚房一塊錢都不肯多花。

stick + inflexibly + to + plan collocation

同義詞
  • rigidly

    very close synonym; slightly less formal and more common in everyday writing

  • stubbornly

    implies emotional resistance and personal will; more about character than principle

  • unyieldingly

    literary; suggests heroic or admirable persistence as often as criticism

  • dogmatically

    emphasises blind devotion to a doctrine or belief system

反義詞
  • flexibly

    direct opposite; willingness to adjust to circumstances

  • leniently

    specifically for rules, punishments, or judgements

用法筆記

Strongly negative connotation — implies the speaker thinks the rigid stance is unwise or unfair. Distinguish from sense 2 by context: sense 1 describes attitudes, rules, and decisions; sense 2 describes physical objects or materials.

常見錯誤

❌She inflexibly the rules.
✅She applied the rules inflexibly.
💡'inflexibly' is an adverb, never a verb; it must modify a verb such as 'apply', 'enforce', 'hold', or 'stick to'.
❌He spoke inflexibly about the new plan.
✅He spoke firmly about the new plan.
💡'inflexibly' describes refusal to change a position, not the manner of speaking; 'firmly' fits a single statement.

2. while resisting any physical bending or change of shape, staying stiff under pre

2.副詞C1
釋義

僵硬地

形容物體保持不易彎折的狀態

while resisting any physical bending or change of shape, staying stiff under pressure

例句

The steel beams stood inflexibly upright, even as the wind pushed against the tower.

鋼樑僵硬地直立著，即使強風推著塔身也不動。

physical resistance to bending forces

Maeve found that the old leather boots sat inflexibly, hardened by years of neglect.

Maeve 發現那雙舊皮靴僵硬地立著，多年沒穿已經變硬。

同義詞
  • stiffly

    more common in everyday speech for physical rigidity

  • rigidly

    interchangeable here; rigidly is the higher-frequency choice

反義詞
  • loosely

    describes the opposite physical state — easy movement

  • flexibly

    able to bend or stretch

用法筆記

Much rarer than sense 1. Subject is usually an inanimate object, material, or body part held immobile. Sense 2 is neutral or descriptive in tone, unlike sense 1's critical edge.

常見錯誤

❌My back feels inflexibly.
✅My back feels stiff.
💡for a feeling of physical tightness in your own body, use 'stiff' or 'rigid'; 'inflexibly' modifies a verb, not a state of being.