Definitions
- Describing someone who is eager to please and willing to comply with requests or demands. - Referring to a person who is accommodating and agreeable in social situations. - Talking about a person who is polite and courteous, often to the point of being overly deferential.
- Describing something that is flexible and can be easily bent or molded. - Referring to a person who is adaptable and can adjust to changing circumstances. - Talking about a person who is easily influenced or persuaded by others.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words describe a willingness to accommodate or adapt.
- 2Both words can be used to describe people or things.
- 3Both words have connotations of flexibility and ease of manipulation.
What is the difference?
- 1Usage: Complaisant is more commonly used to describe people, while pliant is more often used to describe objects or materials.
- 2Degree of willingness: Complaisant implies a greater degree of eagerness to please than pliant.
- 3Flexibility: Pliant emphasizes physical flexibility, while complaisant refers more to social flexibility.
- 4Connotation: Complaisant has a more positive connotation of politeness and courtesy, while pliant can have a negative connotation of being easily manipulated or controlled.
Remember this!
Complaisant and pliant are synonyms that both describe a willingness to accommodate or adapt. However, complaisant is more commonly used to describe people who are eager to please and polite, while pliant is more often used to describe objects or materials that are flexible and adaptable. Additionally, complaisant has a more positive connotation, while pliant can have a negative connotation of being easily manipulated.
