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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Those most at risk include newborns, who are too young to be vaccinated and among the most medically fragile. Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025 Cade Horton’s injury, however, is what led to the team’s pitching becoming so fragile. Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025 Many organizations rush to customize early and end up locked into fragile systems. Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025 Near the end of his life, scam artists took advantage of Ozzy’s fragile state. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fragile

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

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Cite this Entry

“Fragile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fragile. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

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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