rigidify

American  

[ri-jid-uh-fahy] / rɪˈdʒɪd əˌfaɪ /

verb (used with or without object)

rigidified, rigidifying

1. to make or become rigid.

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rigidify British  

/ rɪˈdʒɪdɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. to make or become rigid

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Usage

What does rigidify mean? Rigidify means to become rigid—stiff and inflexible. It can also mean to make something rigid.Rigid 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.Rigidify is most commonly used in a literal sense in a scientific context. A synonym for this sense of the word is rigidize. But rigidify can also be used in a figurative way in reference to people. A person or their personality could be said to rigidify—meaning that they become more inflexible, such as when dealing with new situations.When it’s used in the context of a person or their personality, rigidify is almost always used negatively, as in Try not to rigidify when faced with new experiences—you have to learn to go with the flow sometimes.Example: A synthetic chemical is used to rigidify the material during the manufacturing process so that the end product is very inflexible.

Etymology

Origin of rigidify

First recorded in 1835–45; rigid + -ify

Example Sentences

"Bok has continued to grow rather than rigidify," says Sociologist David Riesman, author of The Lonely Crowd.

From Time Magazine Archive

I could not see what he did, but I saw the tube connecting Sir Charles Venner's patient with the opposite table suddenly rigidify as though a rod had been slipped down its hollow interior.

From First Person Paramount by Pratt, Ambrose

Related Words

• install
• secure
• set
• settle
• stabilize