plastic

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable or uncountable

   A synthetic material that can be molded into shapes and is used to make many products.

   Grammar: Uncountable when referring to the material in general; countable when referring to types of plastic.

   Patterns

   • made of plastic
   • a piece of plastic
   • recycle plastic

   The bottle is made of plastic.

   We should recycle plastic to reduce waste.

   Different plastics have different properties.

2. 2adjectivenot comparable

   Capable of being molded or shaped easily; not rigid.

   Grammar: Used before a noun or after a linking verb. Not usually compared.

   Patterns

   • plastic material
   • plastic substance

   Clay is a plastic material that can be shaped when wet.

   The artist used a plastic medium to create the sculpture.

3. 3adjectivenot comparablefigurative

   Easily influenced or changed; flexible in nature.

   Grammar: Often used figuratively, especially about minds or societies.

   Patterns

   • plastic mind
   • plastic society

   Young children have plastic minds that absorb new languages quickly.

   The committee worried about the plastic nature of public opinion.

Word forms

Common combinations

plastic bag

She packed the groceries in a plastic bag.

plastic surgery

He had plastic surgery to repair the scar.

plastic pollution

Plastic pollution is a major environmental problem.

recycled plastic

This bench is made from recycled plastic.

Synonyms and how they differ

synthetic

A broader term for any material made by chemical processes, not just plastics.

polymer

A technical term for a large molecule that plastics are made of; not used for everyday objects.

Opposites

Word family

plasticity noun

The quality of being easily shaped or molded.

plastically adverb

In a plastic manner; often used in technical contexts.

Commonly confused: plastic or Plasticine?

Practice

Make it your own

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

Explore more words