fragile
Americanadjective
-
easily broken, shattered, or damaged; delicate; brittle; frail.
a fragile ceramic container; a very fragile alliance.
-
vulnerably delicate, as in appearance.
She has a fragile beauty.
-
lacking in substance or force; flimsy.
a fragile excuse.
adjective
-
able to be broken easily
-
in a weakened physical state
-
delicate; light
a fragile touch
-
slight; tenuous
a fragile link with the past
Related Words
See frail 1.
Other Word Forms
- fragilely adverb
- fragileness noun
- fragility noun
- nonfragile adjective
- nonfragilely adverb
- nonfragileness noun
- nonfragility noun
- overfragile adjective
- unfragile adjective
Etymology
Origin of fragile
First recorded in 1505–15; from Latin fragilis, equivalent to frag- (variant stem of the verb frangere break ) + -ilis -ile
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Manufacturers are entering the second quarter on a more fragile foundation as a result.”
From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026
Despite this history of water interaction, the researchers found that fragile organic molecules were still preserved.
From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026
Fuel prices have soared, public transport has dwindled and some airlines have suspended flights to Cuba, hitting the country's fragile economy.
From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026
Nearly six months after a fragile ceasefire came into force in Gaza, Palestinians in this war-torn territory are still struggling.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
Against the dark fabric of my slacks, my hands seemed thin and fragile.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
