The study investigates the elastic properties of freely suspended MoS₂ nanosheets with thicknesses ranging from 5 to 25 layers using a nanoscopic bending test experiment performed with an atomic force microscope (AFM). The Young’s modulus of these nanosheets is found to be extremely high at 0.33 TPa, comparable to that of graphene oxide, and the deflections are reversible up to tens of nanometers. The mechanical behavior of the suspended nanolayers is analyzed using a continuum mechanics model, which accounts for both plate (bending-dominated) and membrane (stretching-dominated) behavior. The results show that the Young’s modulus and initial pre-tension of the nanosheets are highly uniform across different thicknesses, with a mean Young’s modulus of 0.33 ± 0.07 TPa and a pre-tension of 0.13 ± 0.10 N/m. The low pre-tension and high elasticity of these nanosheets make them attractive alternatives to graphene for flexible semiconductor applications. The study also discusses the fabrication and characterization methods used, including the use of PDMS stamps for clean sample preparation and optical microscopy for identifying the flakes.The study investigates the elastic properties of freely suspended MoS₂ nanosheets with thicknesses ranging from 5 to 25 layers using a nanoscopic bending test experiment performed with an atomic force microscope (AFM). The Young’s modulus of these nanosheets is found to be extremely high at 0.33 TPa, comparable to that of graphene oxide, and the deflections are reversible up to tens of nanometers. The mechanical behavior of the suspended nanolayers is analyzed using a continuum mechanics model, which accounts for both plate (bending-dominated) and membrane (stretching-dominated) behavior. The results show that the Young’s modulus and initial pre-tension of the nanosheets are highly uniform across different thicknesses, with a mean Young’s modulus of 0.33 ± 0.07 TPa and a pre-tension of 0.13 ± 0.10 N/m. The low pre-tension and high elasticity of these nanosheets make them attractive alternatives to graphene for flexible semiconductor applications. The study also discusses the fabrication and characterization methods used, including the use of PDMS stamps for clean sample preparation and optical microscopy for identifying the flakes.