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Glite Dictionary
flappable

flappable

8.8
Gets nervous or upset in stressful situations
  • adjective
  • /ˈflæpəbl/
translation icon : nervioso
  • For the record, I'm a 22-year-old, not easily flappable man, and this had my heart pounding like when we used to scare the crap out of each other as kids.

Examples

  • Even under pressure, he rarely becomes flappable, keeping calm when things go wrong.

  • With flappable ears, these often fur-lined hats keep heads cozy.

    Blog text (31)

  • Don Dog looks a bit Lou Costello-like to me, but he's less flappable, more cool and collected, while the gangling cat is a panic-stricken specimen of the sub-genus scaredy.

    Blog text (14)

  • She tends to get flappable when there are too many people around her.

  • The flappable manager struggled to maintain composure during the chaotic meeting.

Synonyms

uptight
vsflappable
  • Informal
77 5.0

Nervous and tense so you cannot relax

is upset quickly rather than being constantly tense
jumpy
vsflappable
  • Informal
54 4.3

Feeling nervous and easily startled by sudden sounds

is upset by stress rather than only being startled
high-strung
vsflappable
12 7.2

Being very nervous and easily upset

is easily upset mainly when situations become stressful
fidgety
vsflappable
8 4.8

Unable to stay still because you feel nervous

describes being upset by stress rather than only restless
fretful
vsflappable
4 6.6

Feeling worried and unable to relax

is easily upset or disturbed in stressful situations
skittery
vsflappable
1 8.7

Moving quickly and lightly because it is nervous or easily startled

is about being upset by stress more than quick movements
overexcitable
vsflappable
6.2

To become easily excited and react strongly to small things

is easily upset or nervous rather than overly excited

Antonyms

calm
735 1.0

Not showing strong feelings and being very still

unflappable
9 7.4

Not getting upset or excited in difficult situations

How Nervous

panicky
22 4.1
flappable
8.8
nervous
∞ 1.3
tense
310 3.6
calm
735 1.0

Surface Forms

flappable positive

Morphology

flappable = flap (semi-transparent) = flap + able

Formed from 'flap' + '-able'; the morphological formation is clear but the sense 'flap' = 'become agitated' is somewhat idiomatic, so learners may not fully predict the meaning.

Etymology

Flappable comes from the verb flap, meaning 'to move wings or arms quickly', plus the ending -able meaning 'can be'. Think of a small bird suddenly flapping when it is scared; a flappable person reacts in the same quick, nervous way, so flappable means easily upset or made nervous.