Gebruikspatroon:
to flex [something]
He loves to flex his new sneakers on Instagram.
Imád az új sneakerével menőzni az Instagramon.
She wasn’t trying to flex; she was just excited about her promotion.
Nem menőzni akart; csak örült az előléptetésének.
Buying bottle service at that club was such an unnecessary flex.
They keep flexing their travel photos in every group chat.
It was a quiet flex, but everyone noticed the designer watch.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
He likes to flex his new phone at school.
Szeret az új telefonjával menőzni az iskolában.
She flexed her English skills in the meeting.
A megbeszélésen villogott az angoltudásával.
They flexed their new car in front of the house.
He posted the photo to flex his muscles.
That big wedding felt like a flex to their friends.
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners sometimes think "flex" always means "to bend" because of older dictionary senses. In modern slang, especially online, it very often means "to show off". It is also easy to overuse this word in formal writing, where "show", "display", or "boast" are usually better choices.
Betekenis
to show off to impress
Woordcombinaties
flex on
|flex hard
|flex his wealth
|flex her new car
|flex your skills
|subtle flex
Synoniemen
show off (Neutral informal; slightly broader and older than the very current slang use of "flex".)
Antoniemen
downplay (Means to make something seem less important, the opposite of drawing attention to it.)
Thema's
social
|internet
|youth_culture
|communication
|emotions
Definitie
to show something you have or can do so that people will be impressed
To show or display your possessions, success, body, or abilities in a way that is meant to impress other people.
Gebruikspatroon:
to flex [a muscle / body part]
The trainer told him to flex his abs and hold for ten seconds.
Az edző azt mondta neki, hogy feszítse meg a hasizmait, és tartsa tíz másodpercig.
She flexed her arm to show the progress she’d made at the gym.
Megfeszítette a karját, hogy megmutassa, mennyit fejlődött az edzőteremben.
Gently flex your knee after surgery to keep the joint moving.
He flexed his fingers before sitting down at the piano.
The doctor asked her to flex and relax the ankle repeatedly.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
Flex your arm and make a fist.
Feszítsd meg a karod, és szorítsd ökölbe a kezed.
The coach said, "Flex your legs, then relax."
Az edző azt mondta: „Feszítsd meg a lábizmaidat, aztán lazíts.”
He flexed his muscles in front of the mirror.
The doctor told me to flex my foot every hour.
I flex my back when I do this exercise.
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners sometimes confuse this sense with the slang sense "to show off" and use it with people or things instead of body parts, e.g. *"He flexed his car"* in a physical sense. For the muscle meaning, the object should be a body part or muscle.
Betekenis
to tighten a muscle
Woordcombinaties
flex your muscles
|flex his biceps
|flex her arm
|flex the knee
|flex the wrist
|flex and hold
Synoniemen
contract (More technical and neutral; does not carry the idea of showing strength in front of others.)
Antoniemen
relax (Means to let the muscle become loose, the opposite of tightening it.)
Thema's
health
|sports
|body
Definitie
to make a muscle tight and hard, often to show strength or for exercise
To tighten or contract a muscle or part of the body so that it becomes firm or more visible, often to demonstrate strength or for exercise.
Gebruikspatroon:
to flex [something]
The plastic can flex a little without cracking.
A műanyag egy kicsit meghajlik anélkül, hogy megrepedne.
Engineers tested how much the bridge could flex in high winds.
A mérnökök tesztelték, mennyire képes rugalmasan meghajlani a híd erős szélben.
This yoga mat is thick enough to flex under your weight.
The skis are designed to flex when you turn.
Gently flex the strip of metal to see how strong it is.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
This ruler can flex, but it does not break.
Ez a vonalzó hajlik, de nem törik el.
The tree will flex in a strong wind.
A fa erős szélben meghajlik.
The thin board flexed when he stood on it.
These shoes flex with your feet when you walk.
The new phone can flex a little without damage.
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners may overuse "flex" when simply "bend" is enough. "Flex" is more often used when the material’s flexibility is important (it bends slightly and does not break).
Betekenis
to bend without breaking
Woordcombinaties
flex the material
|flex the board
|flex under pressure
|designed to flex
|flex and return
|flexible enough to flex
Synoniemen
bend (More general; does not always include the idea of not breaking or returning to the original shape.)
Antoniemen
snap (Describes breaking rather than bending, the opposite outcome of safe flexing.)
Thema's
science
|technology
|core_vocabulary
Definitie
to bend or move a thing a little without breaking it
To bend or be able to bend slightly without breaking, especially of materials, structures, or objects.
ZELFSTANDIG NAAMWOORD
B2
SLANG
4
Gebruikspatroon:
[something] is a flex
Flying first class for a one-hour flight is a serious flex.
Egy egyórás útra első osztályon repülni komoly menőzés.
Posting that screenshot of his bank balance was such a flex.
A bankszámlaegyenlegéről képernyőképet posztolni elég nagy villogás volt.
Bringing homemade bread to every meeting has become her little flex.
Donating anonymously instead of making it a flex would have felt better.
Finishing the marathon without training was a dangerous flex.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
That big watch is a flex.
Az a nagy karóra menőzés.
Buying two phones is a flex, not a need.
Két telefont venni menőzés, nem szükséglet.
Her new car is a huge flex at work.
Inviting everyone to a very expensive dinner was his flex.
Showing all your medals is a clear flex.
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners may try to use "flex" as a verb here (*"That flexes"*) when native speakers usually use it as a noun in this sense: "That’s a flex." It is also easy to overuse in formal writing, where phrases like "show of wealth" or "display of confidence" are more appropriate.
Betekenis
an act of showing off
Woordcombinaties
big flex
|strange flex
|weird flex
|power flex
|subtle flex
|status flex
Synoniemen
boast (Usually refers to proud words; "flex" can be about things or actions, not only what someone says.)
Antoniemen
humility (Humility is not trying to show off, the opposite attitude of making a flex.)
Thema's
social
|internet
|youth_culture
|communication
|emotions
Definitie
an action or thing that someone does to show off
An action, decision, or thing that clearly shows off someone’s money, status, body, or abilities, especially when it seems done to impress others.
ZELFSTANDIG NAAMWOORD
B2
INFORMAL
5
Gebruikspatroon:
to have some flex in [something]
There’s some flex in the deadline if you need more time.
Van némi rugalmasság a határidőben, ha több időre van szükséged.
This job has a lot of flex around start and finish times.
Ebben az állásban nagy a rugalmasság a kezdési és befejezési időpontok terén.
We don’t have much flex in the budget this year.
Talk to your manager about getting more flex in your schedule.
The contract allows a bit of flex on delivery dates.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
My boss gives me flex in my work hours.
A főnököm rugalmasságot enged a munkaidőm terén.
There is no flex on the exam date.
A vizsga időpontjában nincs mozgástér.
We need some flex in the project plan.
This company offers flex for working from home.
Ask if there is flex on the price.
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners sometimes use "a flexibility" instead of "flexibility" or "flex". When using "flex" in this sense, it is usually uncountable ("some flex", "more flex"), not *"a flex".
Betekenis
flexibility in plans or rules
Woordcombinaties
flex in the schedule
|flex in deadlines
|offer more flex
|built-in flex
|a bit of flex
|no flex on price
Synoniemen
flexibility (More standard and slightly more formal; "flex" is shorter and informal, often used in business talk.)
Antoniemen
rigidity (Describes a fixed, unchanging state, the opposite of having flex in plans or rules.)
Thema's
business
|daily_life
|work
Definitie
the freedom to change plans, time, or rules when you need to
The ability for plans, rules, time, or arrangements to be changed; flexibility, especially in work or schedules.
ZELFSTANDIG NAAMWOORD
B2
TECHNICAL
6
Gebruikspatroon:
to plug [something] into the flex
Make sure the flex isn’t damaged before you use the kettle.
Mielőtt használod a vízforralót, ellenőrizd, hogy nem sérült-e a hálózati kábel.
The electrician said we needed to replace the flex on the lamp.
A villanyszerelő azt mondta, hogy ki kell cserélni a lámpa hálózati kábelét.
He tripped over the flex running across the floor.
Always unplug the flex before trying to repair the appliance.
The flex was too short to reach the socket behind the sofa.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
The flex of my iron is broken.
A vasalóm hálózati kábele sérült.
Please do not pull the flex too hard.
Kérlek, ne húzd túl erősen a hálózati kábelt.
I see a cut in the flex of this lamp.
We need a longer flex for this fan.
She rolled the flex and put it in a box.
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners outside the UK may not recognize this noun sense and instead only know "cable" or "power cord". In British English DIY or home contexts, "flex" is common for flexible electrical cable.
Betekenis
flexible electric cable
Woordcombinaties
lamp flex
|replace the flex
|cut the flex
|live flex
|flex cable
|flex and plug
Synoniemen
power cord (More common in general modern English; "flex" is particularly used in British English and technical or DIY contexts.)
Antoniemen
fixed wiring (Refers to electrical wires built into walls or structures, not flexible cords.)
Definitie
the flexible electric wire that connects a machine to the plug or power
A piece of flexible insulated electrical cable, especially the cord that connects an appliance to a plug or power source.
Gebruikspatroon:
to flex [power / strength / influence]
The company is starting to flex its financial power in the market.
A vállalat kezdi fitogtatni pénzügyi erejét a piacon.
The government used the summit to flex its diplomatic muscles.
A kormány arra használta a csúcstalálkozót, hogy fitogtassa diplomáciai erejét.
Smaller brands are now able to flex their creative strengths online.
The team really flexed its defensive skills in the final.
Streaming platforms are flexing their influence over the film industry.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
The big country can flex its power in this region.
A nagy ország fitogtathatja a hatalmát ebben a régióban.
Our team will flex its skills in the next game.
A csapatunk a következő meccsen megmutatja, mire képes.
The rich company likes to flex its money.
Small groups can also flex their voice online.
The leader did not want to flex his power this time.
Veelgemaakte fout:
Learners may confuse this sense with the more casual slang "to flex" meaning simply "to show off" anything. In news and business writing, this sense usually relates to real power or influence, not just personal style or possessions.
Betekenis
to show power or strength
Woordcombinaties
flex its muscles
|flex their power
|flex his influence
|flex their dominance
|flex military strength
|chance to flex
Synoniemen
assert (More formal and focused on stating or using power; "flex" is more vivid and often suggests a show of strength.)
Antoniemen
hold back (Means to avoid using full power or strength, the opposite of flexing it.)
Thema's
politics
|business
|communication
Definitie
to use or show your power or skill in a strong and clear way
To show or use power, strength, or ability in a clear, sometimes aggressive way, often to remind others of your influence.
Gebruikspatroon:
to flex [a class / meeting / plan]
I’m so tired I might just flex class today.
Olyan fáradt vagyok, hogy lehet, ma egyszerűen kihagyom az órát.
They all decided to flex the meeting and go for coffee instead.
Mind úgy döntöttek, hogy kihagyják a megbeszélést, és inkább elmennek kávézni.
He flexed practice again, so the coach is getting annoyed.
We can’t flex this appointment; it took months to get.
She flexed the party at the last minute and stayed home.
Voorbeelden voor taalleerders
He was sick, so he flexed class.
Beteg volt, ezért kihagyta az órát.
I want to flex the meeting and sleep.
Ki akarom hagyni a megbeszélést, és aludni szeretnék.
They all flexed practice yesterday.
She flexed the party because she was tired.
Do not flex work without telling your boss.
Veelgemaakte fout:
This sense is not universal; using it with older or more formal speakers may cause confusion. Learners may also think it is standard English, but in many situations "skip" or "cancel" is safer and more widely understood.
Betekenis
to cancel or skip something
Woordcombinaties
flex class
|flex the meeting
|flex practice
|flex work today
|might flex tonight
|decided to flex
Synoniemen
skip (Very common and neutral; "flex" is more slangy and used in some youth or campus groups.)
Antoniemen
show up (Means to attend as planned, the opposite of flexing on an event.)
Thema's
daily_life
|school
|education
Definitie
to choose not to go to or do something you planned to do
To decide not to attend or do a planned class, event, or activity, often at the last minute.