1
as in fragile
easily broken
a frail eggshell
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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3
as in weak
lacking bodily strength
he was frail after a long battle with bronchitis
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4
as in weakened
lacking strength of will or character
a frail person, easily swayed by others
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5
as in small
small in degree
a frail hope of success
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of frail
My brother was quite frail, so his death was not a total surprise.
—
Kim Gordon, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2025
After Arsenal took advantage of a frail Bayindir to score from yet another set piece, Raya stood strong to repel the hosts.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Severe infections are particularly dangerous for young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems.
—Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frail
Kim Gordon, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2025
After Arsenal took advantage of a frail Bayindir to score from yet another set piece, Raya stood strong to repel the hosts.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Severe infections are particularly dangerous for young children, frail or elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems.
—Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frail
Adjective
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The institutions of the new democracy were fragile, and the military still wielded enough influence to block meaningful accountability.—
Julia Vargas Jones,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
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The gown has since become too fragile to showcase and doesn’t leave the museum.—
Ariana Quihuiz,
PEOPLE,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Bella, now three and a half years old, was described by Overbye as calm, sensitive, quiet, smart, and playful.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
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Prevent this by grounding AI in your documents and adding human review for sensitive content.—
Louis Mosca,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The Royals made a lot of weak contact, which resulted in a mix of groundouts.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
9 Sep. 2025
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Last week, a weaker-than-expected jobs report added to expectations of an imminent rate cut by the central bank.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Minor gastrointestinal discomfort is probably the most common symptom; however, pathogens that may cause only minor sickness in some people may cause serious conditions or death in others, especially in the very young, old, or those with weakened immune systems.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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Infections can be severe in young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems, who may require hospitalization.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Even if advised by a manufacturer, the marble cleaning solution should still be tested on a small, inconspicuous area before getting started.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
9 Sep. 2025
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Her list continues with small but frustrating oversights.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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At breakfast, expect Okinawan-style waffles with sweet red beans, Vietnamese pho, and delicate local tofu.—
Kaila Yu,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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The rising sun turned the snow a delicate pink, and beads of frost glittered like diamonds on the trees.—
Jack Atcheson Sr. as told to Michael Hanback,
Outdoor Life,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Brad Ingelsby’s follow-up to the much-beloved Mare of Easttown switches focus from steely women to feeble men.—
Grace Byron,
Vulture,
8 Sep. 2025
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The feeble report all but confirms a Fed interest rate cut later this month and raises at least the possibility of a half point – rather than a typical quarter point - reduction, Saunders said.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Traditional shades of red and green remain present, but they’re joined by bubble gum pink and soft blue for a more eclectic palette.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Sep. 2025
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Tejasvi designed it with large-font type to make text easier to see and read, and a soft, blue theme intended to be soothing to people who may come to the site fresh from a scam and be fearful or frazzled.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Frail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frail. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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