Meaning & use

malleable

adjective·Academic

Easily shaped, influenced, or changed, whether describing a physical material or a person's character.

See it in a sentence

Gold is highly malleable, which is why it can be hammered into extremely thin sheets.

Young children are often more malleable and adapt quickly to new routines and environments.

A note on using this word

Applied to metals it describes physical shaping, and applied to people or plans it suggests they can be persuaded or reshaped, sometimes with a slightly negative hint of being too easily influenced.

Words with a similar meaning

pliableadaptableflexible

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

rigidinflexible

Make it your own

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