fragile

[ fraj-uhl; British fraj-ahyl ]

adjective

1. easily broken, shattered, or damaged; delicate; brittle; frail:

   a fragile ceramic container; a very fragile alliance.

2. vulnerably delicate, as in appearance:

   She has a fragile beauty.

3. lacking in substance or force; flimsy:

   a fragile excuse.

fragile

/ ˈfrædʒaɪl; frəˈdʒɪlɪtɪ /

adjective

1. able to be broken easily
2. in a weakened physical state
3. delicate; light

   a fragile touch

4. slight; tenuous

   a fragile link with the past

Derived Forms

• ˈfragilely, adverb
• fragility, noun

Other Words From

• fragile·ly adverb
• fra·gil·i·ty [fr, uh, -, jil, -i-tee], fragile·ness noun
• non·fragile adjective
• non·fragile·ly adverb
• non·fragile·ness noun
• nonfra·gili·ty noun
• over·fragile adjective
• un·fragile adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fragile¹

First recorded in 1505–15; from Latin fragilis, equivalent to frag- (variant stem of the verb frangere break ) + -ilis -ile

Word History and Origins

Origin of fragile¹

C17: from Latin fragilis , from frangere to break

Synonym Study

See frail ¹.

Example Sentences

If Trump’s first term is any indicator, the next four years will be an unmitigated mess of infighting, corruption, revolving door staff, facile demands and fragile egotism.

From Los Angeles Times

Petticrew, 28, is a “ceasefire baby,” part of a generation that grew up during a fragile peace but still grapples with social division, economic inequality and intergenerational trauma.

From Los Angeles Times

Today, with family separation policies likely in the Trump administration, many families may find themselves hanging by a similarly fragile thread.

From Los Angeles Times

Academic Senate Chair Steven W. Cheung said the outcome has raised myriad questions for UC — whether funding for financial aid will be slashed, fragile gains in racial and gender equity undone, clean energy and fetal stem cell research buried and access to health care lost.

From Los Angeles Times

The dish is so fragile that once it’s put on the ice, it will start to melt at a certain point.

From Salon

Related Words

• brittle
• delicate
• feeble
• flimsy
• frail
• frangible
• infirm
• shatterable
• weak