Supple Definition and Meaning
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 6, 2024
Supple describes something that is flexible, easily bent, or pliant without breaking or cracking. e.g., The dancer's supple movements captivated the audience.
Table of Contents
Supple Definitions
Soft and yielding to the touch.
The supple fabric of the dress draped beautifully.
Flexible; bending with agility.
Her supple limbs allowed her to perform impressive gymnastics.
Adaptable or compliant.
His supple mind quickly grasped the new concepts.
Not stiff or rigid; lithe.
The cat's supple body fit through the narrow opening.
Graceful in movement or flexibility.
The supple dancer moved with the music's rhythm.
Smooth and bendable.
The supple wires were easy to install around corners.
Easily bent without breaking.
The supple leather of the jacket made it very comfortable.
Pliant; easily manipulated.
The supple branches swayed gracefully in the wind.
Capable of being shaped or bent.
The artisan found the supple clay easy to mold.
Physically or mentally flexible.
A supple approach to problem-solving can yield unique solutions.
Readily bent, folded, or manipulated; pliant
A wallet made of supple leather.
Moving and bending with agility; limber
A supple gymnast.
Adaptable to changing circumstances
"The supple ambiguities of English are a large part of its genius" (Mark Abley).
To make or become supple.
Pliant, flexible, easy to bend.
Lithe and agile when moving and bending.
Supple joints
Supple fingers
(figuratively) Compliant; yielding to the will of others.
A supple horse
(ambitransitive) To make or become supple.
(transitive) To make compliant, submissive, or obedient.
Pliant; flexible; easily bent; as, supple joints; supple fingers.
Yielding compliant; not obstinate; submissive to guidance; as, a supple horse.
If punishment . . . makes not the will supple, it hardens the offender.
Bending to the humor of others; flattering; fawning; obsequious.
To make soft and pliant; to render flexible; as, to supple leather.
The flesh therewith she suppled and did steep.
To make compliant, submissive, or obedient.
A mother persisting till she had bent her daughter's mind and suppled her will.
They should supple our stiff willfulness.
To become soft and pliant.
The stones . . . Suppled into softness as they fell.
Make pliant and flexible;
These boots are not yet suppled by frequent use
Gracefully slender; moving and bending with ease
(used of e.g. personality traits) readily adaptable;
A supple mind
A limber imagination
(used of persons' bodies) capable of moving or bending freely
Supple Snonyms
Elastic
Able to resume its normal shape spontaneously after contraction, dilatation, or distortion.
The band was made of elastic material.
Pliant
Easily bent; flexible.
The willow's pliant branches swayed gently.
Flexible
Capable of bending easily without breaking.
Yoga keeps your body flexible.
Bendable
Capable of being bent without breaking.
They needed bendable wire for the project.
Resilient
Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions; also implies flexibility.
The community was resilient in the face of disaster.
Limber
(Of a person or body part) lithe or supple.
She was limber enough to do splits.
Lithe
(Especially of a person's body) thin, supple, and graceful.
The dancer was admired for her lithe figure.
Malleable
Easily influenced; pliable.
The material was malleable and easy to shape.
Plastic
(Of substances or materials) easily shaped or molded.
Warm plastic can be shaped into various forms.
Adaptable
Able to adjust to new conditions; implies a degree of flexibility.
The species is highly adaptable to changes in environment.
Supple Idioms & Phrases
Supple as a willow
Extremely flexible or graceful.
The gymnast was as supple as a willow during her routine.
Make supple
To make something more flexible or pliable.
The craftsman worked to make the leather supple for the bag.
Bend but not break
To be flexible and adaptable in difficult situations without giving up.
In tough times, it's important to be like a supple tree that bends but does not break.
Supple hands
Having dexterous, skilled hands that move easily and smoothly.
The pianist's supple hands glided across the keys effortlessly.
Supple movement
Graceful and fluid motion.
The dancer's supple movement was mesmerizing to watch.
The supple bend of the bough
Describes the graceful bending of a tree branch.
The supple bend of the bough under the snow was a beautiful sight.
Supple mind
A flexible and adaptable way of thinking.
Her supple mind quickly adapted to the changes in the project.
Supple as silk
Very smooth and flexible.
The fabric felt supple as silk against her skin.
Keep oneself supple
To maintain physical or mental flexibility.
He does yoga daily to keep himself supple.
Supple as a glove
Fits perfectly and comfortably, typically referring to clothing or footwear.
The bespoke shoes were as supple as a glove on his feet.
Supple Example Sentences
His supple thinking made him a great negotiator.
The gardener preferred supple branches for grafting.
The supple vine twisted around the trellis.
She admired the supple texture of the silk scarf.
The yoga instructor praised her supple spine.
The supple rubber of the tire provided a smooth ride.
She wore a supple leather belt that wrapped easily around her waist.
The supple nature of the hose made it easy to coil.
A supple mind is open to new ideas.
He maintained a supple back even in old age.
The supple movement of the dancer was like water.
Her supple wrists allowed her to learn calligraphy quickly.
The supple stem of the flower bent but did not break in the wind.
The kitten's supple paws reached under the door.
The supple melody of the song made it soothing to listen to.
Common Curiosities
Why is it called supple?
It is called supple because it conveys the qualities of flexibility, softness, and adaptability.
What is a stressed syllable in supple?
The stressed syllable in "supple" is the first one: sup.
How is supple used in a sentence?
Supple is used to describe something that is easily bent or flexible, e.g., The supple nature of the material made it perfect for athletic wear.
What is the verb form of supple?
Supple itself is an adjective; the verb form could be "supple up" or "suppleness" as a noun.
How many syllables are in supple?
Supple has two syllables: sup-ple.
How do we divide supple into syllables?
Supple is divided into syllables as: sup-ple.
What part of speech is supple?
Supple is an adjective.
What is the pronunciation of supple?
Supple is pronounced as /ˈsʌpəl/.
What is the opposite of supple?
The opposite of supple is "stiff" or "rigid."
What is the root word of supple?
The root word of "supple" is from the Latin "supplex," meaning "submissive, humbly begging," which evolved to mean pliant or flexible.
Is supple a noun or adjective?
Supple is an adjective.
Is the word “supple” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
Supple cannot be a direct or indirect object as it's an adjective.
Is supple a countable noun?
Supple is not a noun; it's an adjective and does not have a countable form.
What is another term for supple?
Another term for supple could be "flexible" or "pliant."
Is supple a negative or positive word?
Supple is generally a positive word as it implies flexibility and adaptability.
Is supple a collective noun?
No, supple is an adjective and not a collective noun.
Is supple an adverb?
No, supple is not an adverb.
Is the word supple imperative?
No, supple is not imperative; it's an adjective.
Which determiner is used with supple?
Determiners like "a," "the," or "this" can be used with supple, depending on the context.
Which conjunction is used with supple?
Conjunctions like "and" or "but" can be used, e.g., "supple and strong," "supple but durable."
What is the singular form of supple?
Supple remains the same in both singular and plural contexts as it is an adjective.
What is the plural form of supple?
As an adjective, supple does not have a plural form.
Is supple an abstract noun?
No, supple is not a noun; it's an adjective.
Is supple a vowel or consonant?
The term "supple" starts with a consonant sound.
Is the supple term a metaphor?
The term "supple" can be used metaphorically to describe flexibility in contexts other than the physical.
Is the word supple Gerund?
No, supple is not a gerund; it's an adjective.
Which vowel is used before supple?
Typically, "a" is used before supple because it starts with a consonant sound.
Which preposition is used with supple?
Prepositions like "with" or "of" can be used with supple, e.g., "supple with age," "the supple texture of leather."
Which article is used with supple?
The article "a" is often used before supple due to the consonant sound at the beginning.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
