Nimble
adjective /ˈnɪmbl/ — Quick and light — in movement, or in thought.
Definition
Quick and agile in movement or thought; able to respond rapidly and cleverly to changing situations.
Beyond the definition
Nimble has a lightness to it — it's not just fast, it's graceful-fast. The word works for fingers on a piano, for a mind that sees the angle others miss, for a company that changes course without chaos.
Origin & history
From Old English næmel — quick to grasp (niman: to take, seize). The nimble mind grasps things quickly. Related to 'numb' — in the old sense of 'seized', not deadened.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Her nimble thinking in the meeting saved a proposal that had seemed doomed.
A nimble startup can outmanoeuvre a corporation simply by making decisions faster.
He had nimble fingers and a nimble mind — both served him equally well.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Nimble” when the meaning fits your context: Quick and agile in movement or thought; able to respond rapidly and cleverly to changing situations.
Synonyms
Antonyms
clumsy, slow, awkward, ponderous
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Violin Fingers in Motion
A close-up captures a musician’s fingers moving across the neck of a violin, showing slight tension and the blurred, quick motion of the strings.
Nimble means quick and agile in thought or movement. The rapid, precise motion of the violinist’s fingers, which must respond instantly to the complex musical demands of the moment, perfectly illustrates the ability to react rapidly and cleverly to a situation that requires high-level, fluid, and quick responsiveness.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Nimble" mean?
Nimble is adjective meaning: Quick and light — in movement, or in thought.. Quick and agile in movement or thought; able to respond rapidly and cleverly to changing situations.
Where does the word "Nimble" come from?
From Old English næmel — quick to grasp (niman: to take, seize). The nimble mind grasps things quickly. Related to 'numb' — in the old sense of 'seized', not deadened.