frailty
noun
Harry Shaw
Synonyms
- demerit
- dereliction
- failing
- fault
- foible
- shortcoming
- sin
- vice
- want
- weakness
Example Sentences
Theo Mackie, The Arizona Republic, 10 Sep. 2022 Toward the end of the queen’s life, Charles took on more of her duties, as a function of the queen’s increasing frailty but also, commentators said, as a way to prepare the public for his looming reign. Alexander Smith, NBC News, 8 Sep. 2022 Is this a product of the shadow banking systems frailty or is this completely separate? Jesse Eisinger, ProPublica, 5 Aug. 2022 His frailty and struggle serve as an inspiration for others, sympathetic scars and all. Gen Handley, SPIN, 31 July 2022 But seeing Francis in his increasing frailty and advancing old age was very much a point of his visit. Jason Horowitz, BostonGlobe.com, 28 July 2022 Pope Francis spoke at his General Audience on Wednesday about the effects of old age, elderly frailty and the virtue of helplessness. Fox News, 22 June 2022 Other people, however, chose to live in a retirement community out of concern for their safety due to increasing frailty and generally deteriorating health. Adi Gaskell, Forbes, 26 May 2022 During his six days in Canada, Francis had moments both of sturdiness and frailty. Chico Harlan, Washington Post, 30 July 2022 See More Word History
Middle English frelete, freelte, borrowed from Anglo-French freleté, going back to Latin fragilitāt-, fragilitās, from fragilis "liable to break, weak, fragile" + -itāt-, -itās -ity
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
frailty
noun
frailty
noun
Synonyms & Similar Words
- weakness
- shortcoming
- sin
- fault
- foible
- failing
- deficiency
- sinfulness
- vice
- demerit
- imperfection
- dereliction
- flaw
- evil
- feet of clay
- want
- stain
- blot
- blemish
- minus
- corruption
- immorality
- soft spot
- wickedness
- depravity
- nit
- spot
- Achilles' heel
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- virtue
- merit
- perfection
- excellence
- goodness
- integrity
- morality
- rectitude
- probity
- righteousness
Synonyms & Similar Words
- weakness
- feebleness
- fragility
- infirmity
- exhaustion
- fatigue
- debility
- frailness
- impairment
- debilitation
- enervation
- lowness
- enfeeblement
- faintness
- languor
- injury
- decrepitude
- asthenia
- decay
- tenderness
- disablement
- listlessness
- languidness
- wimpiness
- helplessness
- powerlessness
- impotence
- breakdown
- delicacy
- weariness
- damage
- softness
- collapse
- lassitude
- prostration
- invalidism
- incapacitation
- defenselessness
- harm
- hurt
- impuissance
- effeteness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- strength
- robustness
- vigor
- hardiness
- vitality
- hardihood
- muscularity
- energy
- virility
- fitness
- toughness
- sturdiness
- health
- hardness
- stoutness
- ruggedness
- huskiness
- soundness
- lustiness
- heftiness
- healthiness
- wellness
- brawniness
Synonyms & Similar Words
- weakness
- frailness
- softness
- wimpiness
- spinelessness
- corruptness
- foible
- wimpishness
- flaw
- wishy-washiness
- corruption
- failing
- evil
- collapse
- peccadillo
- wickedness
- immorality
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- strength
- toughness
- fortitude
- firmness
- mettle
- hardihood
- resoluteness
- nerve
- backbone
- chutzpah
- moxie
- discipline
- goodness
- hutzpah
- integrity
- morality
- rectitude
- chutzpa
- hutzpa
- righteousness
- virtuousness
- uprightness
- rightness
- self-discipline
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of frailty are failing, fault, foible, and vice. While all these words mean "an imperfection or weakness of character," frailty implies a general or chronic proneness to yield to temptation.
The words failing and frailty can be used in similar contexts, but failing suggests a minor shortcoming in character.
The words fault and frailty are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, fault implies a failure, not necessarily culpable, to reach some standard of perfection in disposition, action, or habit.
While the synonyms foible and frailty are close in meaning, foible applies to a harmless or endearing weakness or idiosyncrasy.
The synonyms vice and frailty are sometimes interchangeable, but vice can be a general term for any imperfection or weakness, but it often suggests violation of a moral code or the giving of offense to the moral sensibilities of others.