1
as in delicate
easily broken
attaching the beautiful but fragile ornaments to the Christmas tree is always a touchy operation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sensitive
easily injured without careful handling
babies are fragile, so remember to care for them gently
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in small
small in degree
a fragile possibility that we might emerge from this fiasco unscathed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
-
Birthday party etiquette can be a delicate balance.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
21 June 2025
-
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
-
This principle, applied across all workloads, is instrumental for reducing the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive data.—
Ben Blanquera,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
Amino acids are more easily absorbed than proteins and do not damage the intestinal environment, which means even those with sensitive digestions can take them.—
MISAKI KAWATSU,
Vogue,
10 June 2025
Adjective
-
These scopes will be able to resolve features as small as 8 inches (20 centimeters) on the lunar surface from an altitude of 31 miles (50 kilometers), according to Firefly.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
18 June 2025
-
The small core teams who operate them are usually experts in biodiversity and community engagement, but not marketing.—
Michelle Greenwald,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
Accordingly, Abbas has presided over a period in which many of the nascent institutions created by Oslo are, at best, brittle.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2025
-
If Elden Ring — and the many FromSoftware games in its lineage — is about individual improvement, about experimenting with playstyles and adjusting your way of thinking until a brick wall becomes brittle before finally crumbling, then Nightreign is about improving as a team.—
Joshua Rivera,
Vulture,
29 May 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
There was a little bit of compassion and love, something human and frail in there.—
Francesca Gariano,
People.com,
17 June 2025
Adjective
-
The Senate holds a slim majority, and at least four Senators, including Paul, have publicly expressed concerns over parts of the bill (the others are Ron Johnson, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski).—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
But once the Pratt Street location was chosen, Levy saw chances as slim.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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 24 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share