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
His rapping has a frail, slithering quality; his vocal tone morphs between cute squeakiness and ragged rottweiler growls.
—
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2025
In our grandparents’ day, families weren’t dispersed across the country, and family members often took care of their frail relatives.
—Steve Vernon, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
But there’s this very vulnerable and frail side to him.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2025
His frail voice also put on display the severity of his condition.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frail
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2025
In our grandparents’ day, families weren’t dispersed across the country, and family members often took care of their frail relatives.
—Steve Vernon, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
But there’s this very vulnerable and frail side to him.
—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2025
His frail voice also put on display the severity of his condition.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for frail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frail
Adjective
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The expenses are high because 436 state employees currently care for the fragile elderly in a setting where the caregiver-to-resident ratio is more than 4 to 1.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2025
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Clashes this month in the town of Nasir between government forces and a Nuer militia known as the White Army have shaken the nation’s fragile peace.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Concerns have been raised about DOGE operatives, many with ties to Musk's companies, gaining access to sensitive government data without adequate oversight or experience.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Apr. 2025
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In late March, four Taiwanese soldiers, three of whom were part of a unit that provides security for Taiwan’s Presidential Office, were jailed for up to seven years after being convicted of selling pictures of sensitive information to China.—
Eryk Michael Smith,
FOXNews.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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After seven episodes of pained teeth-gritting and wide-eyed astonishment, he’s found closure in confronting the man who killed his father (or not) and finding only a weak old guy too sickly to punch.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
4 Apr. 2025
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However, this same quantum state sensitivity makes these atoms ideal for detecting extremely weak signals.—
Paul Lipman,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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With any luck, a little digestive distress will be just a small trade-off for getting past your illness and feeling like yourself again.—
Beth Krietsch,
SELF,
7 Apr. 2025
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Lee already had six permanent tattoos –– small ones easily hidden by clothing –– and thought this was a good opportunity to try out a more visible tattoo.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The graceful curvature of the leather seatbacks and straps encasing the sofas were a marvel, somehow both sturdy and delicate.—
Liam Hess,
Vogue,
10 Apr. 2025
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Loose clusters of delicate, sweetly-scented flowers appear in April and May.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Maresca’s post-match insistence that the Frenchman’s struggles are not down to a lack of effort felt as feeble and unconvincing as the sum of his contribution over 45 listless first-half minutes.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
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Salvi’s wife, Kathy, current chair of the statewide GOP, has the unenviable task of trying to rebuild what is a feeble Republican Party in deep-blue Illinois.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The women on board could soon be heard whooping in joy as three massive parachutes deployed after about nine minutes into the flight and the capsule made a soft landing two minutes later in the desert, sending up plumes of dust.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2025
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Crafted from lightweight, sturdy beechwood, this pro-kneading, lymphatic-draining tool is designed with soft, rounded edges that make for comfy gliding across your skin (go ahead and pair it with a serum or lotion for extra slip).—
Allure,
Allure,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The blush duo contains two blush shades in one palette and has a slim, lightweight design that fits easily in a purse or makeup bag.—
Nora Colomer,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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The slim margin means that if Griffin succeeds in throwing even a fraction of the ballots in the race out, the results could swing in his favor.—
Lucille Sherman,
Axios,
7 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Frail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frail. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
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