frail

frail

adj \ˈfrāl\

Definition of FRAIL

1

: easily led into evil <frail humanity>

2

: easily broken or destroyed : fragile

3

a : physically weak b : slight, unsubstantial

— frail·ly \ˈfrā(l)-lē\ adverb

— frail·ness noun

Examples of FRAIL

1. In his old age his health became increasingly frail.
2. a small and frail ship

Origin of FRAIL

Middle English, from Anglo-French fraile, from Latin fragilis fragile, from frangere

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to FRAIL

Synonyms: breakable, delicate, fragile, frangible

Antonyms: infrangible, nonbreakable, strong, sturdy, tough, unbreakable

Related Words: dainty, fine, gossamer; eggshell, flimsy, slight, tenuous; brittle, crisp, crispy, crumbly, crushable, embrittled, flaky (also flakey), friable, shaky, shivery, short; feeble, infirm, soft, spindly, tender, weak; inelastic, inflexible, stiff

Near Antonyms: compact, firm, hard, rigid, solid, substantial, unyielding; elastic, flexible, resilient, rubberlike, rubbery, springy, stretch, stretchable, supple

see all synonyms and antonyms

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See Synonym Discussion at weak

Rhymes with FRAIL

ail, ale, bail, bale, Bâle, brail, braille, Braille, dale, fail, flail, Gael, gale, Gale, grail, hail, hale, jail, kale, mail, male, nail, pail, pale, quail, Quayle, rail, sail, sale, scale, shale, snail, stale, swale, tael, tail, taille, tale, trail, vail, vale, veil, wail, wale, whale, Yale