fragile

adjective

frag·​ile ˈfra-jəl 

-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

frə-ˈji-lə-tē 

noun

Synonyms

• breakable
• delicate
• frail
• frangible

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

Oyun-Erdene warned before the confidence vote that a change in government could threaten Mongolia’s fragile democracy, which only started in the early 1990s after the Soviet Union collapsed. —Chad De Guzman, Time, 3 June 2025

That’s where trust can become fragile if leaders start to chase proxies instead of performance. —Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025

By the time Trump met Kim for a second summit in Hanoi, Trump’s attention had drifted from North Korea, and both men’s greed for a quick deal derailed their fragile progress. —John Delury, Foreign Affairs, 3 June 2025

Iran's visible military activity and strong rhetoric underscore the country's effort to project strength amid fragile nuclear negotiations. —Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025

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

Phrases Containing fragile

• fragile X
• fragile X syndrome

Rhymes for fragile

• agile

Kids Definition

fragile

adjective

frag·​ile ˈfraj-əl 

-ˌīl

: easily broken or destroyed : delicate

fragility

frə-ˈjil-ət-ē 

noun