pliability

American  

[plahy-uh-bil-i-tee] / ˌplaɪ əˈbɪl ɪ ti /

Rarely pliableness

noun

1. the quality of being easily bent without breaking; flexibility.

   Sweet grass was favored by Native American basket makers for its sweet smell, pliability, and durability.

2. the quality of adjusting readily to change; adaptability.

   Education should take advantage of the pliability of a child's mind and encourage a sense of curiosity.

3. the quality of being easily influenced or persuaded.

   Recent political appointments have been based not on merit, competency, or ability, but on the candidate’s pliability, uncritical loyalty, and toadying behavior.

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Other Word Forms

• nonpliability noun
• nonpliableness noun
• unpliableness noun

Etymology

Origin of pliability

pliabl(e) ( def. ) + -ity ( def. )

Explanation

The quality of being flexible, either literally or figuratively, is pliability. The pliability of aluminum foil is what makes it such a great material for wrapping your leftovers — or fashioning a crown for your cat. Clay's pliability is what makes it moldable. This word comes from the French pliable, "to bend," and a Latin root meaning "to fold." Anything you can bend, fold, twist or turn without breaking it has this quality of pliability. Figuratively, pliability refers to someone who's easy to "bend" or influence: "The pliability of those kids meant they'd believe anything they read online."

Example Sentences

The pliability of the platform fed into our natural creativity in terms of how we repurpose things.

From Salon • May 15, 2024

To add that missing dynamism, Morin and his colleagues turned to hydrogels, the class of water-infused polymers that lend soft contact lenses their pliability.

From Science Daily • Oct. 23, 2023

“It shows the pliability of Scripture - the way that each group tries to marshal arguments on its behalf,” he said.

From Washington Times • Jun. 2, 2023

“It shows the pliability of Scripture — the way that each group tries to marshal arguments on its behalf,” he said.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 2, 2023

She arrived, therefore, at Kökensee with her mind a blank from prejudice, and finding the atmosphere thick with babies immediately with her usual uninquiring pliability adopted the prevailing attitude and was not shy either.

From The Pastor's Wife by Arnim, Elizabeth von