frail
adjective
ˈfrāl 
1
: easily led into evil
frail humanity
2
: easily broken or destroyed : fragile
… frail, open-cockpit biplanes …
Jonathan Weiner
Jonathan Weiner3
a
: physically weak
a frail old woman
a frail voice
b
: slight, unsubstantial
smiled a minute frail smile Raymond Chandler
Raymond Chandler frailly
ˈfrā(l)-lē
adverb frailness noun
Synonyms
- breakable
- delicate
- fragile
- frangible
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
In his old age his health became increasingly frail. a small and frail ship
Recent Examples on the Web If one man can block the industrial development of what is, for now, the world’s hegemon, then its hegemony must be very frail indeed. Robinson Meyer, The Atlantic, 15 July 2022 Anyway, the original Desdemona would have been too frail to withstand the filming process, and the slight stains—markers of a life once lived—not polished enough for the silver screen. Alice Newbold, Vogue, 29 Apr. 2022 Some of the residents who’d lost antibodies were too frail to receive the news themselves, so the facility’s head nurse sent emails to their families. Chico Harlan And Mia Alberti, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Oct. 2021 Some of the residents who’d lost antibodies were too frail to receive the news themselves, so the facility’s head nurse sent emails to their families. Chico Harlan And Mia Alberti, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Oct. 2021 Some of the residents who’d lost antibodies were too frail to receive the news themselves, so the facility’s head nurse sent emails to their families. Chico Harlan And Mia Alberti, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Oct. 2021 Some of the residents who’d lost antibodies were too frail to receive the news themselves, so the facility’s head nurse sent emails to their families. Chico Harlan And Mia Alberti, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Oct. 2021 Some of the residents who’d lost antibodies were too frail to receive the news themselves, so the facility’s head nurse sent emails to their families. Chico Harlan And Mia Alberti, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Oct. 2021 Some of the residents who’d lost antibodies were too frail to receive the news themselves, so the facility’s head nurse sent emails to their families. Chico Harlan And Mia Alberti, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Oct. 2021 See More
Robinson Meyer, The Atlantic, 15 July 2022 Anyway, the original Desdemona would have been too frail to withstand the filming process, and the slight stains—markers of a life once lived—not polished enough for the silver screen. Alice Newbold, Vogue, 29 Apr. 2022 Some of the residents who’d lost antibodies were too frail to receive the news themselves, so the facility’s head nurse sent emails to their families. Chico Harlan And Mia Alberti, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Oct. 2021 Some of the residents who’d lost antibodies were too frail to receive the news themselves, so the facility’s head nurse sent emails to their families. Chico Harlan And Mia Alberti, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Oct. 2021 Some of the residents who’d lost antibodies were too frail to receive the news themselves, so the facility’s head nurse sent emails to their families. Chico Harlan And Mia Alberti, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Oct. 2021 Some of the residents who’d lost antibodies were too frail to receive the news themselves, so the facility’s head nurse sent emails to their families. Chico Harlan And Mia Alberti, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Oct. 2021 Some of the residents who’d lost antibodies were too frail to receive the news themselves, so the facility’s head nurse sent emails to their families. Chico Harlan And Mia Alberti, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Oct. 2021 Some of the residents who’d lost antibodies were too frail to receive the news themselves, so the facility’s head nurse sent emails to their families. Chico Harlan And Mia Alberti, Anchorage Daily News, 1 Oct. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English frele, frayle, borrowed from Anglo-French frel, fraile, going back to Latin fragilis "liable to break, weak" — more at fragile
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
frail
adjective
ˈfrāl
: very delicate or weak
a frail little child
frail
adjective
1
as in fragile
easily broken a frail eggshell Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- fragile
- delicate
- brittle
- breakable
- weak
- feeble
- frangible
- infirm
- fine
- dainty
- flimsy
- tenuous
- short
- shaky
- soft
- spindly
- gossamer
- friable
- slight
- crumbly
- flaky
- eggshell
- shivery
- tender
- crisp
- inflexible
- crispy
- crushable
- inelastic
- flakey
- stiff
- embrittled
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- strong
- sturdy
- tough
- rigid
- hard
- solid
- compact
- substantial
- unyielding
- unbreakable
- resilient
- firm
- supple
- elastic
- flexible
- rubbery
- infrangible
- springy
- nonbreakable
- stretch
- rubberlike
- stretchable
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
- fragile
- sensitive
- delicate
- weak
- tender
- vulnerable
- feeble
- brittle
- soft
- puny
- friable
- flimsy
- tenuous
- breakable
- susceptible
- slight
- eggshell
- perishable
- frangible
- crushable
- yielding
- resistless
- unresistant
- nonhardy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- strong
- tough
- sturdy
- hardy
- stiff
- hard
- robust
- stout
- solid
- substantial
- durable
- rugged
- resistant
- sound
- firm
- flinty
- hardened
- unbreakable
- tempered
- strengthened
- infrangible
- toughened
- nonbreakable
- inured
3
as in weak
lacking bodily strength he was frail after a long battle with bronchitis Synonyms & Similar Words
- weak
- feeble
- weakened
- infirm
- disabled
- enfeebled
- debilitated
- faint
- fragile
- vulnerable
- tired
- paralyzed
- wimpy
- languid
- soft
- asthenic
- delicate
- tender
- exhausted
- incapacitated
- unsubstantial
- slight
- injured
- effete
- softened
- prostrated
- prostrate
- sapped
- low
- enervated
- weary
- wimpish
- wasted
- decrepit
- unsteady
- down-and-out
- challenged
- powerless
- impotent
- damaged
- invalid
- flimsy
- drained
- impaired
- susceptible
- breakable
- dizzy
- hurt
- lame
- rocky
- broken-down
- woozy
- groggy
- unsound
- resistless
- worn-out
- harmed
- flagging
- yielding
- unresistant
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- strong
- powerful
- mighty
- stout
- muscular
- sinewy
- rugged
- stalwart
- virile
- beefy
- athletic
- husky
- sturdy
- hardy
- brawny
- robust
- hard
- tough
- fit
- strapping
- vigorous
- lusty
- energetic
- hardened
- healthy
- capable
- fortified
- hale
- strengthened
- competent
- sound
- toughened
- able-bodied
- vitalized
- energized
- inured
- recovering
- red-blooded
- invigorated
- convalescing
- recuperating
4
as in weakened
lacking strength of will or character a frail person, easily swayed by others Synonyms & Similar Words
- weak
- weakened
- soft
- meek
- weakling
- timid
- wimpy
- corrupt
- nerveless
- spineless
- effete
- characterless
- flabby
- invertebrate
- wimpish
- wet
- ineffectual
- weak-kneed
- powerless
- infirm
- limp-wristed
- impotent
- flaccid
- ineffective
- wishy-washy
- milk-and-water
- namby-pamby
- craven
- pliable
- lamblike
- irresolute
- forceless
- submissive
- unnerved
- cowardly
- emasculated
- unscrupulous
- villainous
- unprincipled
- vacillating
- pusillanimous
- sissy
- dastardly
- fainthearted
- impuissant
- poltroon
- nebbishy
- lily-livered
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- strong
- hard
- tough
- good
- firm
- virtuous
- moral
- upright
- resolute
- righteous
- right
- ethical
- backboned
- unrelenting
- courageous
- stalwart
- determined
- principled
- mettlesome
- stouthearted
5
as in small
small in degree a frail hope of success Synonyms & Similar Words
- small
- off
- slim
- fragile
- outside
- slight
- remote
- tiny
- marginal
- minimal
- negligible
- minor
- little
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- large
- good
- great
- healthy
- distinct
- significant
- substantial
- significant
- considerable
- respectable
- sizable
- goodly
- sizeable
- tidy
- largish
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of frail are decrepit, feeble, fragile, infirm, and weak. While all these words mean "not strong enough to endure strain, pressure, or strenuous effort," frail implies delicacy and slightness of constitution or structure.
a frail teenager unable to enjoy sports
The words decrepit and frail can be used in similar contexts, but decrepit implies being worn-out or broken-down from long use or old age.
the dowager's decrepit retainers
While the synonyms feeble and frail are close in meaning, feeble suggests extreme weakness inviting pity or contempt.
a feeble attempt to walk
In some situations, the words fragile and frail are roughly equivalent. However, fragile suggests frailty and brittleness unable to resist rough usage.
a reclusive poet too fragile for the rigors of this world
While in some cases nearly identical to frail, infirm suggests instability, unsoundness, and insecurity due to old age or crippling illness.
infirm residents requiring constant care
The words weak and frail are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, weak applies to deficiency or inferiority in strength or power of any sort.
felt weak after the surgery
- golden ironweed
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- golden larch
- golden leaf
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- golden lip
- golden loosestrife
- golden lungwort
- golden maidenhair
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- golden meadow parsnip
- golden mean
- golden means
- golden millet
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- golden oak
- golden ocher
- golden oldie