Elastic describes something that can stretch and then return to its original shape. A rubber band is elastic: pull it and it stretches, let go and it snaps back. Your waistband probably contains elastic material so your pants fit comfortably whether you're sitting or standing.

Scientists use elasticity to describe this property in materials: a diving board has high elasticity because it bounces back after a diver jumps, while clay has low elasticity because it stays squished after you press it.

In everyday conversation, elastic means flexible or adaptable. A teacher might have an elastic schedule that adjusts when students need extra help. Someone with an elastic mind can adapt their thinking when they encounter new information. If your parents say the bedtime rules are elastic on weekends, they mean there's room for flexibility.

As a noun, elastic is a stretchy material, like the elastic in a waistband or the elastic used in sewing.

The opposite of elastic is rigid or inflexible. When you're solving a tricky problem, being elastic in your thinking helps you try different approaches instead of stubbornly sticking to one method that isn't working.