Agile
adjective /ˈædʒaɪl/ — Able to move and adapt quickly as things change.
Definition
Able to move quickly and easily; in business, a philosophy of iterative development and rapid adaptation to change rather than rigid long-term planning.
Beyond the definition
Agile emerged from software development but became a whole philosophy of work: test fast, learn fast, adapt. The opposite of the plan that becomes sacred when it should be discarded. Agile organisations look different — less hierarchy, more iteration.
Origin & history
From Latin agilis — quick to move (agere 'to do, to drive'). The software Agile Manifesto was published in 2001 and transformed how teams work.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The team was agile enough to turn a disaster into a feature within forty-eight hours.
An agile strategy isn't weak — it's honest about what we don't yet know.
Agile doesn't mean no plan. It means the plan serves the goal, not the other way around.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Agile” when the meaning fits your context: Able to move quickly and easily; in business, a philosophy of iterative development and rapid adaptation to change rather than rigid long-term planning.
Synonyms
flexible, adaptive, nimble, responsive, iterative
Antonyms
rigid, inflexible, slow-moving
Related words
Agile vs flexible
Agile emphasizes the ability to move and adapt quickly, especially in response to changing circumstances. Flexible suggests the ability to bend or adjust, but it does not necessarily imply the speed or reactivity of being agile.
Word in the Wild
Illustrative story: an imagined scene, not a documented event or interview.
The plan had been eighteen months in the making. The market moved in month five.
A less agile team would have completed the plan. They had spent eighteen months on it. The sunk cost was enormous. The alternative — acknowledging that the ground had shifted and redesigning mid-flight — was terrifying.
They redesigned mid-flight. The product that launched was twelve months late and entirely different from the plan. It was also the right product for the market that now existed. The plan would have been the right product for the market that had existed when they designed it.
Questions about this word
What does "Agile" mean?
Agile is adjective meaning: Able to move and adapt quickly as things change.. Able to move quickly and easily; in business, a philosophy of iterative development and rapid adaptation to change rather than rigid long-term planning.
Where does the word "Agile" come from?
From Latin agilis — quick to move (agere 'to do, to drive'). The software Agile Manifesto was published in 2001 and transformed how teams work.