flex

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive or intransitive

   To bend a limb or joint, or to tighten a muscle so that it becomes firm and visible.

   Grammar: Takes an object when you flex something (flex your knee); the muscle itself can also flex with no object.

   Patterns

   • flex something
   • something flexes

   The coach asked us to flex our knees before landing.

   He flexed his bicep in the mirror.

   Your calf muscle flexes every time you point your toes.

2. 2verbtransitive or intransitiveinformalslang

   To show off something you own or have achieved, in a way meant to impress others.

   Grammar: Can stand alone (he likes to flex) or take an object (flex your new watch).

   Patterns

   • flex on someone
   • flex something

   He kept flexing about his new sneakers all day.

   She posted a photo of her trophy, just to flex.

   Stop flexing on us and share the news normally.

3. 3nouncountable

   An act of bending or tensing a muscle or joint, or a display of showing off.

   Grammar: Usually a single movement or display: a quick flex; a flex of strength.

   Patterns

   • a flex of something

   A quick flex of her wrist showed the injury had healed.

   Buying the whole table a round was a pure flex.

Word forms

Common combinations

flex a muscle

Try not to flex a muscle you have just strained.

flex your fingers

She flexed her fingers after hours of typing.

flex your power

The company flexed its power by cutting prices.

flex on someone

He was flexing on his classmates with his new phone.

a weird flex

Bragging about being late is a weird flex.

Synonyms and how they differ

bend

Bend is the plain, everyday word for curving a joint, while flex is more anatomical and also covers tightening a muscle.

tense

Tense only describes making a muscle tight, whereas flex can also involve bending the joint.

show off

Show off is the general phrase for boasting, and flex is the trendier slang version, usually about possessions or success.

brag

Brag means talking boastfully, while flex can be done silently, such as by posting a photo.

Opposites

Word family

flexible adjective

able to bend or change easily

flexibility noun

the ability to bend or adapt

flexor noun

a muscle that bends a joint

flexion noun

the act of bending a joint

Commonly confused: flex or flux?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “flex”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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