1
as in fragile
easily broken
a frail eggshell
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sensitive
easily injured without careful handling
be careful with your grandmother, as she's very frail and a fall would be disastrous
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in weak
lacking bodily strength
he was frail after a long battle with bronchitis
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4
as in weakened
lacking strength of will or character
a frail person, easily swayed by others
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5
as in small
small in degree
a frail hope of success
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of frail
In August, Ben-Gvir released a video of himself berating a visibly frail Barghouti in his cell.
—
Karl Vick, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
The outdoors is no place for a feline, especially one this small and frail.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
The figures were outgoing Spanish Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez, Santiago Carrillo, head of the Spanish Communist Party, and armed forces chief Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado who, though a frail near-70, got up to order the rebel Guards to lay down their arms.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
The fate of one of the few remaining opposition figures who was still in the country depended on the frail relationship between the Cuban government and the United States.
—Nora Gamez Torres, Miami Herald, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frail
Karl Vick, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
The outdoors is no place for a feline, especially one this small and frail.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
The figures were outgoing Spanish Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez, Santiago Carrillo, head of the Spanish Communist Party, and armed forces chief Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado who, though a frail near-70, got up to order the rebel Guards to lay down their arms.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
The fate of one of the few remaining opposition figures who was still in the country depended on the frail relationship between the Cuban government and the United States.
—Nora Gamez Torres, Miami Herald, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frail
Adjective
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Friday’s launch underscores the fragile security situation on the peninsula and highlights ongoing tensions as North Korea continues to expand its missile capabilities.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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Moraes was operating within a young and fragile constitution ratified in 1988 after years of autocratic rule, Brandao said, one that had failed so far to stem pervasive corruption in the country.—
Ron Kampeas,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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This includes women with estrogen sensitive breast or uterine cancer, and women who are at high risk for or have had a heart attack, stroke, blood clot, or pulmonary embolism.—
Allison Aubrey,
NPR,
11 Nov. 2025
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In insulin resistance, the body's cells become less sensitive to insulin, which leads to higher blood sugar levels.—
Leigh Weddle,
Verywell Health,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Western countries could exploit weak points in supply chains for many of Russia's advanced fighter jets, including by tightening up sanctions as Ukraine strikes Russia's industrial facilities, according to a new report.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
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Respiratory difficulty, constipation, poor feeding, drooping eyelids and a weak and altered cry are among the symptoms of infant botulism.—
Chad Murphy,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The illness can be dangerous or life-threatening, particularly to older adults, those with weakened immune systems and pregnant women.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
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But babies, people with weakened immune systems, and those with chronic lung conditions are more likely to get seriously sick, developing illnesses like bronchiolitis or pneumonia.—
Evan Moore
November 5,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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At a time when the Mavericks need as much good will, or PR, as possible, filing a lawsuit against the Dallas Stars is petty, small and mean.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Nov. 2025
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The Senate vote to temporarily reopen the government sparked intense controversy within the Democratic Party, as a small group of its senators joined Republicans in backing a deal that did not guarantee the extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, a key Democratic priority.—
Deputy News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Lily Allen strikes a pose in a delicate lace outfit on the carpet at 2025 CFDA Fashion Awards.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
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The idea worked on paper, but in practice, the alignment was extremely delicate, and the overall setup became unstable and hard to scale.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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And honestly, what could be more feeble?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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Their calculations show that a feeble interaction between the inflaton field and elementary particles called gluons would be sufficient to warm up inflation.—
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Another noteworthy development is Arts Landing, a four-acre city park in Downtown Pittsburgh featuring public art, greenery and performance space set to soft open in April 2026.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
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For the white colorway, a contrasting gum sole with a soft suede toe highlights the sneaker, while the black version features a brown distressed tooling.—
Stephen Garner,
Footwear News,
10 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Frail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frail. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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