supple

Examples

• All

• This is such nice, supple leather.

  Pain & Gain (2013)

• The delicate skin there was usually white, but after her morning toilet, it seemed supple and pink.

  Fiction book (2000)

• But the skin looks really healthy, really supple with this product now.

• You are young and supple.

  Killing Jesus (2015)

• Karen leaned back into the supple and supportive gray leather seat.

  Fiction book (1994)

• Davus sprang up beside me, as supple as a cat despite his size.

  Fiction book (2000)

• At last I drew on the boots Gudjen had left for me: supple leather boots the color of fresh-hewn wood.

  Fiction book (1993)

• There was no coldness or guile in the half-lidded eyes; her skin was soft and supple, innocent of experience.

  Fiction book (1991)

• There's now a more supple veneer to his skin and an added lustre to the thickness of his hair.

  The Santa Clause 2 (2002)

• The dancer's body was supple, allowing her to perform such graceful movements.

Synonyms

F

flexible

vssupple

31 3.4

Able to bend easily without breaking and return to shape

is used for bending that often looks smooth and graceful

E

elastic

vssupple

23 2.6

Able to return to its original shape after being stretched or pressed

centres on easy, smooth bending and graceful form rather than springiness

S

stretchy

vssupple

10 1.9

A fabric you can pull that returns to its old shape

focuses less on returning shape and more on smooth, graceful bending

L

lithe

vssupple

9 7.5

Thin and able to move easily and gracefully like a dancer

is similar but also applies to materials as well as bodies

P

pliable

vssupple

8 4.2

Easy to bend or shape

is more about flexible bending that looks smooth or graceful

L

limber

vssupple

7 4.1

Able to bend and move easily

adds a stronger sense of smooth, graceful motion beyond mere flexibility

P

pliant

vssupple

3 5.6

Easily bent or shaped without breaking

places more weight on graceful, flowing movement especially for bodies

B

bendy

vssupple

2 2.5

Easy to move into new shapes

conveys more elegance and graceful motion rather than plain bendability

B

bendable

vssupple

1 3.0

Can curve without breaking

adds an idea of smooth, elegant bending especially for movement

S

stretchable

vssupple

1 2.6

Becomes longer when you pull it and then goes back to its original size

is about flexible bending and graceful movement rather than elasticity

W

whippy

vssupple

1 7.8

Able to bend easily and spring back without breaking, like a thin stick

leans more toward smooth, graceful bending than quick springiness

D

deformable

vssupple

• Specialized

1 5.3

Able to be bent or shaped without breaking

adds a notion of graceful, effortless movement beyond mere deforming ability

L

lissome

vssupple

• Literature

1 9.0

Having a slim, flexible body and moving easily and smoothly

covers graceful movement but also general bending of materials

L

lithesome

vssupple

1 8.8

A person or animal that moves easily with a thin, flexible body

is broader, covering graceful motion and general flexible bending

F

flexile

vssupple

8.1

Easy to bend without breaking, like a thin branch

emphasizes bending that appears natural and elegant rather than just pliant

L

lissom

vssupple

• Archaic

9.2

A person or thing that has a thin, flexible shape and moves with easy grace

applies this ease to bodies and materials, not only thin people

L

lithe-bodied

vssupple

7.9

A person or animal with a thin, flexible body that moves gracefully

is wider, used for bodies and for flexible materials too

Antonyms

R

rigid

35 4.0

Does not bend because it is stiff

I

inflexible

1 4.9

Not able to bend or change shape

Compounds

S

supple skin

1 3.2

Soft, flexible skin that looks healthy

S

supple willow

5.1

A tree with long flexible branches used for weaving baskets

How Flexible

pliant

3 5.6

supple

18 3.7

stiff

127 1.7

rigid

35 4.0

Surface Forms

Etymology