flex

1 of 3

verb

flexed; flexing; flexes

transitive verb

1
: to bend especially repeatedly
2
a
: to move muscles so as to cause flexion of (a joint)
b
: to move or tense (a muscle) by contraction
3
: use, demonstrate
flexing her skills as a singer

intransitive verb

1
: bend
2
informal
a
: to talk in a boastful or aggressive way
"Bronze" is one of the most straightforward new tracks: a boastful and insidiously dark song that sees him flexing about his many wins.Raisa Bruner
often used with on to indicate the person, group, etc. at whom the talk is directed
Hip-hop has never just been about selling drugs, flexing on haters, and threatening enemies, as many like to portray it.Aaron Williams
… he … went searching for criticism, then tried to flex on a random criticizer.Ashley Feinberg
"… And if President Trump is going to continue to flex on China, whether it's with tariffs, whether it's just talking tough and tweeting tough, that still draws a very stark contrast between himself and the Democratic Party. …"Mattie Duppler
b
: to make an ostentatious display of something : show off
While tons of influencers love to flex on Instagram via designer bags and other luxury splurges, others are all about that perfect high-low balance …Bella Gerard
often used with on to indicate the person, group, etc. at whom the display is directed
It's in-your-face branding that is all about flexing on your friends in their more common, more conventional limousines.Max Finkel

flex

2 of 3

noun (1)

plural flexes
1
: an act or instance of flexing or bending
[Trae] Young finished with 22 points, seven assists and two steals—and a muscle flex after the game-winner.Chris Vivlamore
2
: flexibility, pliancy
The … fillet blade has a nice flex to it.Matt Foster
3
informal : an act of bragging or showing off
Monster (1994) was R.E.M.'s weird flex: an over-the-top rock album saturated with distortion, propelled by power chords and guitar feedback, and voiced by singer Michael Stipe's newly found enthusiasm.David Gill

flex

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural flexes
chiefly British
: an electric cord
Phrases
flex one's muscles
: to demonstrate one's strength
an exaggerated need to flex his political musclesJ. P. Lash

Examples of flex in a Sentence

Verb He flexed the muscles of his right arm. a material that flexes easily
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Erivo flexed her fashion in a strapless emerald-green midi dress, adding a wide-brimmed hat for extra witchy drama. Angel Saunders, People.com, 20 Oct. 2024 McEntire flexed her experience shooting the recent blind audition episodes. Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 18 Oct. 2024
Noun
Our favorite product: Any beauty lover can agree the Go-Clutch Highlighter is a major flex. Annie Blackman, Allure, 25 Sep. 2024 That’s especially true in a place where military flexes, traditional ways for nations to establish both presence and influence, are prohibited. Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 4 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for flex 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flex.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

borrowed from Latin flexus, past participle of flectere "to cause to go in a different direction, bend, curve," of uncertain origin

Noun (1)

derivative of flex entry 1

Noun (2)

short for flexible cord

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1521, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

circa 1934, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1905, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flex was circa 1521

Dictionary Entries Near flex

Cite this Entry

“Flex.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flex. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

flex

verb
ˈfleks
1
: to bend especially over and over
2
a
: to move muscles so as to cause flexion of
b
: to move or tense (a muscle) by contraction

Medical Definition

flex

transitive verb
1
: to bend especially repeatedly
2
a
: to move muscles so as to cause flexion of (a joint)
stretching and flexing his knees
b
: to move or tense (a muscle or muscles) by contraction
flexed their biceps

More from Merriam-Webster on flex

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!