ductile

adjective

duc·​tile ˈdək-tᵊl 

-ˌtī(-ə)l

1

of a metal : capable of being drawn out (see draw entry 1 sense 15) into wire or thread

ductile iron

2

: easily led or influenced

a vast portion of the public feels rather than thinks, a ductile multitude drawn easily by the arts of the demagogue

—Amy Loveman

3

: capable of being fashioned into a new form

Choose the Right Synonym for ductile

plastic, pliable, pliant, ductile, malleable, adaptable mean susceptible of being modified in form or nature.

plastic applies to substances soft enough to be molded yet capable of hardening into the desired fixed form.

plastic materials allow the sculptor greater freedom

pliable suggests something easily bent, folded, twisted, or manipulated.

pliable rubber tubing

pliant may stress flexibility and sometimes connote springiness.

an athletic shoe with a pliant sole

ductile applies to what can be drawn out or extended with ease.

ductile metals such as copper

malleable applies to what may be pressed or beaten into shape.

the malleable properties of gold

adaptable implies the capability of being easily modified to suit other conditions, needs, or uses.

computer hardware that is adaptable

Examples of ductile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The all-aluminum M1s are apparently hard enough to handle ice but ductile enough to not easily chip or shatter when hitting rocks. —Cameron Martindell, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2024

The majority of Surprise’s water line system is made of PVC and ductile iron, Water Resource Management Director Mike Boule explained. —Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic, 14 Nov. 2024

Plate tectonics is a scientific theory describing the large-scale motion of fragments of the earth's rigid outermost shell on an inner ductile layer. —David Bressan, Forbes, 9 Sep. 2024

At the atomic level, there are principally four phases of auto steel, including the hardest yet most brittle, called martensite, and the more ductile austenite. —John Johnson Jr., Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ductil, from Latin ductilis, from ducere — see duct entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

ductile

adjective

duc·​tile ˈdək-tᵊl 

-ˌtīl

: capable of being drawn out (as into a wire) or hammered thin

ductile metal

ductility

ˌdək-ˈtil-ət-ē 

noun

Medical Definition

ductile

adjective

duc·​tile ˈdək-tᵊl  -ˌtīl 

: capable of being drawn out or hammered thin

ductile metal

ductility

ˌdək-ˈtil-ət-ē 

noun

plural ductilities