Rigid
Not easily bent or changed; physically stiff; unwilling to bend or compromise in thinking or behavior.
adjectiveRigid
Not easily bent or changed; physically stiff; unwilling to bend or compromise in thinking or behavior.
adjectiveImagine 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.
Sounds Like
ˈrɪdʒɪd (RIJ-id); rhymes with frigid
Looks Like
resembles the word itself, conveying stiffness
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.
Other Forms
Connect With
inflexible, stiff, unbending, unyielding, rigidity
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.'
Study Deeper
- 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.
From Latin rigidus meaning stiff or hard; the root rig- conveys stiffness or rigidity.
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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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.
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nounThe state or quality of being stiff or inflexible; a refusal or inability to bend, adapt, or compromise, whether physically or mentally.
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