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rigid
[ rij-id ]
adjective
- stiff or unyielding; not pliant or flexible; hard:
a rigid strip of metal.
Synonyms: inflexible, firm, unbending
Antonyms: elastic
- firmly fixed or set.
- inflexible, strict, or severe:
a rigid disciplinarian; rigid rules of social behavior.
Synonyms: unyielding, stern, austere
Antonyms: lax
- exacting; thorough; rigorous:
a rigid examination.
Synonyms: demanding
- so as to meet precise standards; stringent:
lenses ground to rigid specifications.
Synonyms: demanding
- Mechanics. of, relating to, or noting a body in which the distance between any pair of points remains fixed under all forces; having infinite values for its shear modulus, bulk modulus, and Young's modulus.
- Aeronautics.
- (of an airship or dirigible) having a form maintained by a stiff, unyielding structure contained within the envelope.
- pertaining to a helicopter rotor that is held fixedly at its root.
rigid
/ ˈrɪdʒɪd /
adjective
- not bending; physically inflexible or stiff
a rigid piece of plastic
- unbending; rigorously strict; severe
rigid rules
adverb
- completely or excessively
the lecture bored him rigid
Derived Forms
- ˈrigidly, adverb
- riˈgidity, noun
Other Words From
- ri·gidi·ty rigid·ness noun
- rigid·ly adverb
- over·rigid adjective
- over·rigid·ly adverb
- over·rigid·ness noun
- over·ri·gidi·ty noun
- sub·rigid adjective
- sub·rigid·ly adverb
- sub·rigid·ness noun
- subri·gidi·ty noun
- un·rigid adjective
- un·rigid·ly adverb
- un·rigid·ness noun
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of rigid1
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
In order to preserve the rigid status quo, the clan’s patriarch will do everything he can to keep the winds of change from invading his household and affecting his wife and daughters.
“We reject any proposals that impose undue burden on industries,” Saudi Arabia said in its opening statement Monday, arguing for “recycling solutions rather than imposing rigid and exclusionary policies.”
He was very rigid with scheduling — go to work, come home, have dinner with my mother without the kids, and go to the boat on the weekend.
For example, they adjust the stiffness of their muscles when they walk on a more rigid surface.
"Because it was deep, we knew it wasn't smooshed easily so it must have had a pretty rigid body," Hughes said.
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Related Words
More About Rigid
What does rigid mean?
Rigid means stiff and inflexible. It can be used in both literal and figurative ways.
For example, a material like plastic might be described as rigid if it does not bend or bend easily. A person might be described as rigid if they are very strict and unwilling to bend the rules. Rules themselves can also be described as rigid if they are very strict or rigorous, as in The boarding school had a rigid set of rules designed to keep students in line.
When used to describe a person or their personality as inflexible, rigid is almost always used negatively, as in Try not to be so rigid—you have to learn to go with the flow sometimes.
The related noun rigidity refers to the state or quality of being rigid in both literal and figurative senses.
Example: When using heavy acrylic paints, It’s best to paint on a rigid canvas so the paint won’t bleed and the canvas will hold its shape over time.
Where does rigid come from?
The first records of the word rigid come from around the mid-1500s. It comes from the Latin rigidus, from the verb rig(ēre), meaning “to be stiff” or “to stiffen.” The word rigor and rigorous are based on the same root, as is the first part of the medical term rigor mortis, which refers to the state of the body when it becomes rigid after death.
Close synonyms of rigid are inflexible, unbending, and stiff—all of which, like rigid, can also be used in both literal and figurative ways. The opposite of rigid is flexible, and it too can be used in a literal way, such as to describe bendable materials, or in a figurative way, such as to describe a person who is willing to adapt to a situation (which a rigid person is not).
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to rigid?
What are some synonyms for rigid?
What are some words that share a root or word element with rigid?
What are some words that often get used in discussing rigid?
How is rigid used in real life?
Rigid is commonly used in both literal and figurative ways. It’s often applied to stiff materials and inflexible people.
We love recycling rigid plastics, like yogurt and take-out containers – the number on the bottom doesn't matter. Be sure to rinse out! pic.twitter.com/BuJjnMgfYP
— NYC zerowaste (@NYCzerowaste) February 28, 2017
What I learned as an Autistic in 2-week isolation:
-My chronic anxiety ISN'T chronic at all, but directly linked to navigating a rigid social structure that doesn't understand/recognize my real needs/interests.
-Being alone isn't lonely. Being perpetually misunderstood is.
— Bibi / Aspergirl (@bibi_bilodeau) December 4, 2020
Almost everyone experiences some cognitive dissonance between who they think they are, who they fantasize about being, who they think they should be, and who others perceive. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Too much multilevel fusion leads to a rigid personality. #psychology pic.twitter.com/b0anLRPEXd
— Edward Craig, Kanaka Dharma (@NewMindMirror) February 6, 2019
Try using rigid!
Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of rigid?
A. strict
B. stiff
C. pliant
D. firm
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