FRAGILE Synonyms: 100 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'fragile' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of fragile are brittle , crisp , frangible , and friable . While all these words mean "breaking easily," fragile implies extreme delicacy of material or construction and need for careful handling. // a fragile antique chair

Q: In what contexts can 'brittle' take the place of 'fragile'?

The words brittle and fragile are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, brittle implies hardness together with lack of elasticity or flexibility or toughness. // brittle bones

Q: When is it sensible to use 'crisp' instead of 'fragile'?

Although the words crisp and fragile have much in common, crisp implies a firmness and brittleness desirable especially in some foods. // crisp lettuce

Q: Where would 'frangible' be a reasonable alternative to 'fragile'?

The words frangible and fragile can be used in similar contexts, but frangible implies susceptibility to being broken without implying weakness or delicacy. // frangible stone used for paving

Q: When would 'friable' be a good substitute for 'fragile'?

While in some cases nearly identical to fragile , friable applies to substances that are easily crumbled or pulverized. // friable soil

fragile

adjective

ˈfra-jəl

Definition of fragile

as in delicate

easily broken attaching the beautiful but fragile ornaments to the Christmas tree is always a touchy operation

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sensitive

easily injured without careful handling babies are fragile, so remember to care for them gently

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in small

small in degree a fragile possibility that we might emerge from this fiasco unscathed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective fragile contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of fragile are brittle, crisp, frangible, and friable. While all these words mean "breaking easily," fragile implies extreme delicacy of material or construction and need for careful handling.

a fragile antique chair

In what contexts can brittle take the place of fragile?

The words brittle and fragile are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, brittle implies hardness together with lack of elasticity or flexibility or toughness.

brittle bones

When is it sensible to use crisp instead of fragile?

Although the words crisp and fragile have much in common, crisp implies a firmness and brittleness desirable especially in some foods.

crisp lettuce

Where would frangible be a reasonable alternative to fragile?

The words frangible and fragile can be used in similar contexts, but frangible implies susceptibility to being broken without implying weakness or delicacy.

frangible stone used for paving

When would friable be a good substitute for fragile?

While in some cases nearly identical to fragile, friable applies to substances that are easily crumbled or pulverized.

friable soil

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of fragile The film’s fragile documentary sensitivity is nowhere more vivid than in its two non-professional leads. — Sonya Vseliubska, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026 Eurasian Eagle Owls are apex predators, and Flaco was a nonnative species that may have had a negative effect on the fragile Central Park ecosystem. — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026 So the warmth and acceptance shown in the film should not be read as the rule, but as the fragile light of a singular family story. — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 The graphene layer protects the fragile superconductor from oxidation, while guiding it to grow in a smooth layer over a large wafer-scale area, according to researchers. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fragile

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fragile

Adjective

There's a balance between delicate satin, feminine lace and midweight cashmere, thoughtfully combined for interest.

— ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
Bitingly funny in its comedy and wistful in its drama, the film rests on the delicate performance of newcomer Verma, a diminutive, age-appropriate actor who molds Ilyas in captivating ways.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of delicate

Adjective

Companies that work in sensitive, regulated industries like finance are especially keen on open models, Pierre Stock, Mistral’s vice president of science, told CNN.

— Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
What scammers can steal Once installed, the malware can capture sensitive information entered on the device, including usernames, passwords, banking credentials and email logins.

— Joshua Sidorowicz, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of sensitive

Adjective

These vines will also happily wind their way around tree trunks and shrubs and fix themselves in place with small rootlets that take on a hairy appearance as poison ivy plants mature.

— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2026
Tidy a corner and play a favorite song, letting a small routine remind everyone that care comes through simple, repeatable acts.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of small

Adjective

Perennially frail, sick, and gaunt, the ambient guitar composer had devoted his life to a sprawling catalog, some 40 albums wide, that resembles a matchstick model of paradise.

— Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 30 July 2026
Nebraska has a nearly 300-page index of diagnoses that could qualify someone as medically frail.

— Isabella Cueto, STAT, 30 July 2026

Definition of frail

Adjective

Meanwhile there are several competitive House races this year that will help decide whether Republicans hold their slim majority or Democrats reclaim the chamber.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
And the book bearing his name is no ancient tome but a slim, spare novel set in an unsettlingly familiar landscape.

— Colin Dwyer, NPR, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of slim

Adjective

Water in hot springs can cause severe or fatal burns, and scalding water underlies most of the thin, breakable crust around hot springs.

— Eve Chen, USA Today, 21 July 2026
If public-key cryptography becomes breakable, attackers can impersonate services, weaken the handshakes that set up secure sessions and forge signatures that make malicious code look legitimate.

— Kumar Mehta, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026

Definition of breakable

Adjective

Here, the two twin in camel coats in an off-duty moment at Paris Fashion Week 2022.

— Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
With a number of off days on the upcoming schedule and five healthy starters already in their rotation, the Yankees should be able to make that strategy work without taxing their bullpen.

— Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of off

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fracturing

fragile

fragility

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“Fragile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fragile. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of fragile

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