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
frailness
noun
Examples of frail in a Sentence
In his old age his health became increasingly frail.
a small and frail ship
Recent Examples on the Web
When Arthur tries to stop the stranger who has invaded his home from rifling through his drawers, Frank shoves the frail man to the ground.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
The risk is highest for young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 24 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for frail
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Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
The risk is highest for young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 24 Oct. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for frail
Cite this Entry
“Frail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frail. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
frail
adjective1
: easily led into evil
frail humanity
2
: fragile
3
: not having normal strength or force
spoke in a frail voice
frailness
noun
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