fragile

/ˈfrædʒaɪl/

Say it: FRAJ-ile

1. adjective Easily broken, shattered, or damaged.
Please be careful with that antique vase; it's extremely fragile.
2. adjective Of a person, not strong or healthy; delicate.
After the surgery, he felt too fragile to return to work immediately.
3. adjective Tenuous, easily destroyed, or unstable.
The two countries have maintained a fragile peace for the last year.
4. adjective Of a person's emotional or mental state, easily upset or distressed.
He has a fragile ego and does not respond well to criticism.

📖 Seen in the wild

Handle the antique vase with care, as it is extremely fragile.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ fragile in a sentence

The package was covered in stickers that said 'FRAGILE: HANDLE WITH CARE'.
The butterfly's wings are beautiful but incredibly fragile.
Investors are wary due to the fragile state of the global economy.
Their new friendship felt fragile, as if one wrong word could end it.
The coastal ecosystem is fragile and highly susceptible to pollution.
She put on a brave face, but her colleagues knew how emotionally fragile she was after the loss.
The ancient manuscript was too fragile to be handled by the public.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

delicate brittle frail breakable flimsy tenuous vulnerable insubstantial

delicate · often implies fineness, intricacy, or sensitivity, not just breakability.

brittle · suggests a hard, rigid substance that snaps easily without bending.

frail · typically used for the weakness of a person's health or a structure's integrity.

breakable · a straightforward, less nuanced synonym focusing purely on the physical property.

Opposites: durable, sturdy, robust, resilient, unbreakable

🌱 Where it comes from

The word 'fragile' broke into English in the 15th century from the Old French 'fragile'. It traces its roots directly to the Latin word 'fragilis', meaning 'breakable', which itself comes from 'frangere', the verb 'to break'. Its meaning has remained remarkably stable over the centuries, always referring to things that are easily broken.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

fragile egofragile peacefragile ecosystemfragile stateemotionally fragilephysically fragile

Fragile is a versatile word used for both physical objects and abstract concepts. While neutral, describing a person's emotional state as 'fragile' can sometimes carry a slightly critical or dismissive connotation, implying they are overly sensitive. It is distinct from 'frail', which more commonly describes physical weakness, especially due to age or illness.

Word family: fragility, fragment, fragmentation

💬 Quick answers

What does fragile mean?

Fragile describes something that is easily broken, damaged, or destroyed. This can apply to physical objects like glass, abstract concepts like a peace treaty, or a person's health or emotional state.

What is the difference between fragile and brittle?

While both mean easily broken, 'brittle' describes something hard and rigid that snaps cleanly without bending, like a dry twig. 'Fragile' is a broader term for anything delicate that requires careful handling.

Can you call a person fragile?

Yes, calling a person fragile can refer to their delicate physical health or their sensitive emotional state. In an emotional context, it means they are easily upset or distressed.

What is the noun for fragile?

The noun form is 'fragility', which is the quality of being fragile. For example, you might talk about the fragility of the economy or the fragility of a relationship.

1 word nerd collected it V

Want "fragile" to actually stick?

Save it to your own vault, let AI explain it, practice till it's yours.

Start for free →