fragile

adjective

frag·​ile ˈfra-jəl How to pronounce fragile (audio)
-ˌjī(-ə)l
1
a
: easily broken or destroyed
a fragile vase
fragile bones
b
: constitutionally (see constitutionally sense 1a) delicate : lacking in vigor
a fragile child
2
: tenuous, slight
fragile hope
a fragile coalition
fragility noun
Choose the Right Synonym for fragile

fragile, frangible, brittle, crisp, friable mean breaking easily.

fragile implies extreme delicacy of material or construction and need for careful handling.

a fragile antique chair

frangible implies susceptibility to being broken without implying weakness or delicacy.

frangible stone used for paving

brittle implies hardness together with lack of elasticity or flexibility or toughness.

brittle bones

crisp implies a firmness and brittleness desirable especially in some foods.

crisp lettuce

friable applies to substances that are easily crumbled or pulverized.

friable soil

synonyms see in addition weak

Examples of fragile in a Sentence

Her health has always been very fragile. an artist with a fragile ego He is in an emotionally fragile state. The two countries have formed a fragile coalition.
Recent Examples on the Web Beyond that, guests can learn about the fragile Florida Keys ecosystems through eco-educator nature walks. Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 7 Mar. 2024 The announcement tested already fragile relations with Beijing, which subsequently launched its own anti-dumping investigation into brandy imported from the EU, a move seen as a retaliation against France, which supported the electric-vehicle probe. Jorge Valero, Fortune, 7 Mar. 2024 The Kung Fu Panda films are like a neon sign of a yin and yang, a fragile balance of philosophy and fat jokes. Amy Nicholson, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Such a fragile, thin-skinned pol doesn’t deserve to be in City Hall. Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 The bag is also notably extremely light, weighing about 33 grams, or less than 1 lbs., and extremely fragile. Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 Migrants often fall sick after being stuck in close quarters, airline workers said, and some seem fragile. Annie Correal Federico Rios, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 Advisors are likely aware that client relationships are the most fragile in the early years. Janet Arzt, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 The finding flew in the face of the conventional wisdom that quantum phenomena were fragile things, observable only at extremely low temperatures. Charlie Wood, Quanta Magazine, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fragile.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French fragile, borrowed from Latin fragilis, from frag-, variant stem of frangere "to break, shatter" + -ilis "subject to, susceptible to (the action of the verb)" (alteration of -ibilis -ible, originally by haplology after verb stems ending in a labial consonant) — more at break entry 1

First Known Use

1521, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of fragile was in 1521

Dictionary Entries Near fragile

Cite this Entry

“Fragile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fragile. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fragile

adjective
frag·​ile ˈfraj-əl How to pronounce fragile (audio)
-ˌīl
: easily broken or destroyed : delicate
fragility noun

More from Merriam-Webster on fragile

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