Elastic vs. Rigid — What's the Difference?

Easily resuming original size or shape after being stretched or otherwise deformed; flexible.

Unable to bend or be forced out of shape; not flexible

Relating to a collision in which the total kinetic energy is conserved.

Not able to be changed or adapted

Quick to recover, as from disappointment; resilient

A lorry which is not articulated.

Capable of being adapted to change or a variety of circumstances

Not flexible or pliant; stiff

(Economics) Of, relating to, or being a good for which changes in price have a large effect on the quantity demanded or supplied.

Not moving or flexing

A flexible stretchable fabric made with interwoven strands of rubber or an imitative synthetic fiber.

Not changing or adjusting to different conditions or problems

An object made of this fabric.

Scrupulously or severely maintained or performed; rigorous or harsh

A rubber band.

Being an airship with a external frame made of rigid parts.

Capable of stretching; particularly, capable of stretching so as to return to an original shape or size when force is released.

Stiff, rather than flexible.

Made of elastic.

Fixed, rather than moving.

Of clothing, elasticated.

Rigorous and unbending.

(economics) Sensitive to changes in price.

Uncompromising.

Springy; bouncy; vivacious

(aviation) An airship whose shape is maintained solely by an internal and/or external rigid structural framework, without using internal gas pressure to stiffen the vehicle (the lifting gas is at atmospheric pressure); typically also equipped with multiple redundant gasbags, unlike other types of airship.

Pervasive, all-encompassing.

A bicycle with no suspension system.

Able to return quickly to a former state or condition, after being depressed or overtaxed; having power to recover easily from shocks and trials.

Firm; stiff; unyielding; not pliant; not flexible.

(uncountable) An elastic material used in clothing, particularly in waistbands and cuffs.

Hence, not lax or indulgent; severe; inflexible; strict; as, a rigid father or master; rigid discipline; rigid criticism; a rigid sentence.

(countable) An elastic band.

Incapable of or resistant to bending;

Springing back; having a power or inherent property of returning to the form from which a substance is bent, drawn, pressed, or twisted; springy; having the power of rebounding; as, a bow is elastic; the air is elastic; India rubber is elastic.

Incapable of compromise or flexibility

Able to return quickly to a former state or condition, after being depressed or overtaxed; having power to recover easily from shocks and trials; as, elastic spirits; an elastic constitution.

Incapable of adapting or changing to meet circumstances;

An elastic woven fabric, as a belt, braces or suspenders, etc., made in part of India rubber.

Fixed and unmoving;

A narrow band of elastic rubber used to hold things (such as papers) together

Designating an airship or dirigible having a form maintained by a stiff unyielding frame or structure

An elastic fabric made of yarns containing an elastic material

Capable of resuming original shape after stretching or compression; springy;

Able to adjust readily to different conditions;