1
as in delicate
easily broken
attaching the beautiful but fragile ornaments to the Christmas tree is always a touchy operation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sensitive
easily injured without careful handling
babies are fragile, so remember to care for them gently
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3
as in small
small in degree
a fragile possibility that we might emerge from this fiasco unscathed
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fragile
Willem Dafoe as Klaus in The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou
Klaus is Zissou’s emotionally fragile first mate, a role that Dafoe digs into with real exuberance.
—
Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025
According to Eduardo Fernández, a Spanish bioengineer who published a commentary to Fudan’s work in Science, doing this in fragile, diseased retinas poses a risk of fibrosis and scarring.
—ArsTechnica, 12 June 2025
For Trump, the challenge will be to pick someone credible who shares his vision on lower rates and easier policy and who can get through a Senate confirmation where Republicans hold the advantage, albeit a fragile one, and leadership that still wants an independent central bank.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 June 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for fragile
Joe Reid, Vulture, 12 June 2025
According to Eduardo Fernández, a Spanish bioengineer who published a commentary to Fudan’s work in Science, doing this in fragile, diseased retinas poses a risk of fibrosis and scarring.
—ArsTechnica, 12 June 2025
For Trump, the challenge will be to pick someone credible who shares his vision on lower rates and easier policy and who can get through a Senate confirmation where Republicans hold the advantage, albeit a fragile one, and leadership that still wants an independent central bank.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 June 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for fragile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fragile
Adjective
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Birthday party etiquette can be a delicate balance.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
21 June 2025
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If regular Jenga is like performing delicate surgery, this extra large version from a different company is like performing a dangerous game of minesweeper.—
Parker Hall,
Wired News,
21 June 2025
Adjective
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American military and diplomatic outposts across the globe are on high alert after a U.S. bombing raid on Saturday struck three of Iran’s most sensitive nuclear facilities, prompting vows of retaliation from Tehran and raising fears of a widening regional war.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
23 June 2025
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Rochester recommends baby shampoo to get your hair and makeup brushes grease-free and without any additives that may irritate sensitive face skin.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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Part of Season 1’s success may be put down to its offering a fresh take on daily life in smaller city rural Portugal, Cunha Telles noted at Conecta Fiction.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
18 June 2025
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This sauce is also the perfect way to add just a small amount of unsweetened dark chocolate into your day.—
Christina Manian,
Health,
18 June 2025
Adjective
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Too often, however, the systems behind it are brittle—swelling during periods of hypergrowth and collapsing under the weight of a downturn.—
Kehinde Fawumi,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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For a more intensive, wash-day treatment, consider Sutra’s hair mask packed with hyaluronic acid and plant proteins to transform dry, brittle strands after just ten minutes.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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Weary from their journey and trapped in desperate conditions, many children arrive with visible signs of malnutrition: hollow eyes, frail limbs and weakened bodies.—
Brice Kevin Da,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
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There was a little bit of compassion and love, something human and frail in there.—
Francesca Gariano,
People.com,
17 June 2025
Adjective
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That first leg ended 1-0 — a slim aggregate lead — and in the second leg back on Kiwi soil, the Australians won 2-0 with one of their goals a cruel deflection.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
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At a Knicks playoff game, Bad Bunny sported his own Adidas collaboration (a flex!): a slim, yellow striped sneaker.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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Critics of safety standards at Son's former company, Korea Airports Corporation, have asked whether the crash would have been less deadly if the antenna array had been built on a more breakable or movable base.—
Raul A. Reyes,
Newsweek,
23 Jan. 2025
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Secure hazards like electrical cords that curious cats and dogs might want to chew, and store fragile, breakable items out of reach where they can’t be knocked over.—
Caitlin Sole,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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Some takeaways from a successful series win ahead of an off day Thursday: Mayer heating up Mayer hasn’t even been in the majors for a month, but the 22-year-old has already hit three homers and is finding his groove.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
12 June 2025
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Yet Shildt had a relatively rested back end of his bullpen and an off day coming up.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fragile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fragile. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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