flex

/flɛks/

/flɛks/

Other forms: flexed; flexing; flexes

When you flex something, you bend or contract it. To appear super tough, you might flex your archery bow while flexing your muscles.

Things curve and bend when they flex, whether they're human joints or objects made of a bendable material like plastic or soft wood. Another way to flex is to tense or contract a muscle: "The weightlifter flexes her biceps." Experts suspect that flexible came first, from the Latin root flexibilis, "flexible, pliant, or yielding," and figuratively, "tractable, or easily influenced."

Definitions of flex

1. verb

   cause (a plastic object) to assume a crooked or angular form
   synonyms: bend, deform, turn, twist

   types:

   dent, indent

   make a depression into

   incurvate

   cause to curve inward

   gnarl

   twist into a state of deformity

   crank

   bend into the shape of a crank

   convolute, convolve

   curl, wind, or twist together

   type of:

   change form, change shape, deform

   assume a different shape or form
2. verb

   form a curve
   synonyms: bend

   types:

   crook, curve

   bend or cause to bend

   arc, arch, curve

   form an arch or curve

   incurvate

   bend inwards

   replicate, retroflex

   bend or turn backward

   angle, lean, slant, tilt, tip

   incline or bend from a vertical position

   bend, bow, crouch, stoop

   bend one's back forward from the waist on down

   double, double over, double up

   bend over or curl up, usually with laughter or pain

   cower, crawl, creep, cringe, fawn, grovel

   show submission or fear

   curl, curl up, draw in

   shape one's body into a curl

   recurve

   curve or bend (something) back or down

   camber

   curve upward in the middle

   incline, pitch, slope

   be at an angle

   weather

   cause to slope

   heel, list

   tilt to one side

   lean back, recline

   move the upper body backwards and down

   squinch

   crouch down

   cower, huddle

   crouch or curl up

   type of:

   change form, change shape, deform

   assume a different shape or form
3. verb

   bend a joint
   “flex your wrists”

   synonyms: bend

   type of:

   move

   move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion
4. noun

   the act of flexing
   “he gave his biceps a flex to impress the ladies”

   type of:

   flexion, flexure

   act of bending a joint; especially a joint between the bones of a limb so that the angle between them is decreased
5. verb

   contract
   “flex a muscle”

   type of:

   contract, shrink

   become smaller or draw together
6. verb

   exhibit the strength of
   “The victorious army flexes its invincibility”

   type of:

   flash, flaunt, ostentate, show off, swank

   display proudly; act ostentatiously or pretentiously