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Rigid
Not easily bent or changed; physically stiff; unwilling to bend or compromise in thinking or behavior.
adjective💡
Imagine This
Picture a steel rod in a lab test that resists every attempt to bend it. It stays perfectly straight under increasing force, a visual cue for rigidity in both material and mindset.
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Sounds Like
ˈrɪdʒɪd (RIJ-id); rhymes with frigid
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Looks Like
resembles the word itself, conveying stiffness
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Remember This
Rigidity is the noun form (rigidity). Related forms include rigidity (noun) and rigidly (adverb). The word comes from Latin rigidus meaning stiff or hard.
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Other Forms
rigiditynoun
rigidlyadverb
rigidnessnoun
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Connect With
inflexible, stiff, unbending, unyielding, rigidity
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Note
Use rigid to describe physical stiffness (a rigid material) or mental inflexibility (a rigid timetable or viewpoint). Distinguish from similar sounding or related terms like 'rigor' or 'frigid.'
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The steel beam is so rigid that it cannot bend without breaking.
- Her rigid adherence to the schedule left no time for even minor changes.
Synonyms
inflexiblestiffunbendingunyieldingadamant
Antonyms
flexiblepliableyielding
Etymology
From Latin rigidus meaning stiff or hard; the root rig- conveys stiffness or rigidity.
Mnemonic
Mnemonic: Rigid rhymes with frigid, and both describe stiffness. Imagine a metal rod that is so rigid it resists even a frigid breeze.
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Consummate
verbTo bring to completion or perfection; to finish something thoroughly. Also used as an adjective to describe high-level skill or polish.
Conundrum
nounA puzzling question; a riddle; a problem that is difficult to solve or understand.
Potentate
nounA ruler, especially an autocratic or absolute monarch; someone with supreme power.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Inflexible
adjectiveNot easily bent, altered, or persuaded; stubbornly unyielding in opinions or behavior.
Rigidity
nounThe state or quality of being stiff or inflexible; a refusal or inability to bend, adapt, or compromise, whether physically or mentally.
Abstruse
adjectiveDifficult to understand; obscure or highly complex.
Accidental
adjectiveHappening by chance or without deliberate planning; not intended. In music, it is also a noun for a symbol that temporarily alters a pitch.
Acerbic
adjectiveSharp or biting in tone or taste; caustic or mordant in manner.
Acquiescent
adjectiveReady to agree or approve without protest; compliant.
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