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

In public comments to the federal agency, city leaders stressed how the Big Easy's already fragile, aging drinking water infrastructure would have trouble withstanding the impacts if the 2024 sill were to breach. —Kati Weis, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2025

Automation reduces labor dependency, stabilizes production costs, and ends our reliance on fragile, offshore supply chains. —Cam Myers, Sourcing Journal, 28 Apr. 2025

The film splinters the mind as pitilessly as previous Cronenberg movies went to work on the fragile, spongy body. 16. —A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025

Related article Israeli strike kills four in Beirut in test of fragile ceasefire with Hezbollah The attack came after Israel Defense Forces spokesman Avichay Adraee advised civilians to evacuate from the Hadath neighborhood. —Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 27 Apr. 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