agile
/ˈædʒ.aɪl/- 1.
Able to move quickly and easily, with good balance and control. Describes a person or animal that can change position or direction smoothly and fast.
- The agile gymnast landed every jump without stumbling.
- Young cats are naturally agile and hard to catch.
- He was agile enough to dodge the oncoming traffic.
- 2.
Able to think fast, adapt quickly, and respond to change without losing focus. Widely used in business and technology to describe teams or people that work in short, flexible cycles and adjust plans easily.
- An agile team can change its priorities without losing momentum.
- Her agile mind spotted the flaw in the proposal immediately.
- The startup stayed agile even as the market shifted fast.
Adinary Nuance
Agile, nimble, and flexible overlap but are not interchangeable. Nimble emphasizes light, quick physical movement — nimble fingers, nimble footwork — and sounds slightly poetic or old-fashioned outside sports contexts. Flexible focuses on willingness to bend or change without breaking, but says nothing about speed. Agile combines both: an agile person or team adapts and does it quickly, without losing coordination. In modern business English, agile has become a near-technical term — it signals a specific work philosophy (short sprints, continuous feedback, rapid iteration) that flexible and nimble simply do not carry.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- linh hoạt
- Spanish
- ágil
- Chinese
- 敏捷
- Japanese
- 機敏
- Korean
- 민첩
Etymology
From Latin "agilis," meaning nimble or easy to move, derived from "agere" (to do, to drive). The word entered English in the late 16th century and has expanded into business and tech usage since the early 2000s.
Common phrases
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between 'agile' and 'nimble'?
- Both mean able to move or respond quickly, but 'nimble' is more physical and poetic — nimble fingers, nimble feet. 'Agile' covers both physical and mental quickness and is the standard word in business and tech. In professional writing, 'agile' is almost always the safer, more modern choice.
- Why do job descriptions and tech teams use the word 'agile'?
- In business and software, 'Agile' (often capitalised) refers to a specific way of working — short work cycles called sprints, constant team feedback, and fast adjustments when priorities change. When a job posting says 'we work in an agile environment,' it means this structured approach, not just general flexibility.
- Is 'agile' formal or informal?
- 'Agile' sits in neutral-to-formal territory. It fits naturally in business emails, reports, and professional conversations. It is not slang, but it is also not stiff — you can use it in everyday speech without sounding unnatural.
- Can 'agile' describe both a person and a company?
- Yes. A person can be agile (moves or thinks quickly), and so can a team, company, or process (adapts fast to change). Both uses are very common in modern English, especially in business and management contexts.