supple

1 of 2

adjective

sup·​ple ˈsə-pəl How to pronounce supple (audio)
 also  ˈsü-
suppler ˈsə-p(ə-)lər How to pronounce supple (audio) ; supplest ˈsə-p(ə-)ləst How to pronounce supple (audio)
Synonyms of supplenext
1
a
: compliant often to the point of obsequiousness
b
: readily adaptable or responsive to new situations
2
a
: capable of being bent or folded without creases, cracks, or breaks : pliant
supple leather
b
: able to perform bending or twisting movements with ease : limber
supple legs of a dancer
c
: easy and fluent without stiffness or awkwardness
sang with a lively, supple voice—Douglas Watt
supplely
ˈsə-pə(l)-lē How to pronounce supple (audio)
adverb
or supply
ˈsə-p(ə-)lē How to pronounce supple (audio)
suppleness
ˈsə-pəl-nəs How to pronounce supple (audio)
noun

supple

2 of 2

verb

suppled; suppling ˈsə-p(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce supple (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to make pacific or complaisant
supple the tempers of your race—Laurence Sterne
2
: to alleviate with a salve
3
: to make flexible or pliant

intransitive verb

: to become soft and pliant

Synonyms

Adjective

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for supple

elastic, resilient, springy, flexible, supple mean able to endure strain without being permanently injured.

elastic implies the property of resisting deformation by stretching.

an elastic waistband

resilient implies the ability to recover shape quickly when the deforming force or pressure is removed.

a resilient innersole

springy stresses both the ease with which something yields to pressure and the quickness of its return to original shape.

the cake is done when the top is springy

flexible applies to something which may or may not be resilient or elastic but which can be bent or folded without breaking.

flexible plastic tubing

supple applies to something that can be readily bent, twisted, or folded without any sign of injury.

supple leather

Examples of supple in a Sentence

Adjective a dome tent outfitted with supple fiberglass tent poles shoes made from supple leather
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
This particular ingredient contains a slew of amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals essential for plump, supple skin. —Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 29 Oct. 2024 Strong yet supple leather is a great choice for a passport holder, while vegan leather (typically PU) offers an alternative for those who prefer to avoid leather for ethical or economical reasons. —Jessica MacDonald, Travel + Leisure, 15 Oct. 2024
Verb
For a slightly more elevated and edgy look, snag a sleek vest made with smooth and supple vegan suede or faux leather. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Jan. 2024 Thin Bifold Wallet belies its reasonable price point with noticeably supple full-grain leather, a trim sub-0.75-inch profile and precise stitching. —New York Times, 1 Nov. 2023 See all Example Sentences for supple 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English souple, suple, supple "obedient, compliant, flexible, relaxed," borrowed from Anglo-French, "submissive, suppliant, light (of wind), soft, yielding" (continental Old French sople), going back to Latin supplic-, supplex "making humble entreaty, suppliant," probably from sub- sub- + -plic-, from the stem of plicāre "to fold, bend" — more at ply entry 3

Note: Old French so(u)ple belongs to a group of words in which loss of an unstressed penultimate vowel in Gallo-Romance was hindered by a preceding consonant cluster. So, in Pierre Fouché's notation, supplice(m) became *sopletse, then *soplets, and with deletion of the final consonants, sople (see Phonétique historique du français, vol. 3 [Paris, 1966], p. 472). Compare prince. — The -plic- of supplex has also been taken as based on placēre "to be pleasing, find favor" and plācāre "to make favorably disposed, placate," though this seems less likely on derivational and semantic grounds, and for plācāre impossible, given the long a.

Verb

Middle English souplen, supplen "to make humble, make flexible, soften," derivative of souple "obedient, compliant, supple entry 1"

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of supple was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near supple

supplant

supple

supplejack

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Supple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supple. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

supple

1 of 2 adjective
sup·​ple ˈsəp-əl How to pronounce supple (audio)
suppler ˈsəp-(ə-)lər How to pronounce supple (audio) ; supplest ˈsəp-(ə-)ləst How to pronounce supple (audio)
1
: readily adaptable to new situations
a supple mind
2
a
: capable of being bent without creases or breaks : pliant
supple leather
b
: able to bend or twist with ease : limber
the supple legs of a dancer
suppleness
-əl-nəs How to pronounce supple (audio)
noun

supple

2 of 2 verb
suppled; suppling ˈsəp-(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce supple (audio)
: to make soft and easy to bend

More from Merriam-Webster on supple

Nglish: Translation of supple for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of supple for Arabic Speakers

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