Frail

/freɪl/

Meaning & Definition

adjective

Weak and delicate; easily broken or damaged.

The frail old man struggled to walk without assistance.

Not strong or substantial; lacking in vigor or strength.

The frail structure of the building raised concerns about safety.

Morally or emotionally weak.

Despite his frail arguments, she continued to listen.

Middle English frail, fraile, from Old French frail, fraile, from Latin fragilis meaning 'easily broken'

frail health

A state of being physically weak or in poor health.

frail and fragile

Describing something that is both weak and easily broken.

frail as a flower

A metaphor comparing someone to a flower, implying delicate beauty and weakness.

fragility

The quality of being fragile; the state of being easily broken or damaged.

breakable

Capable of being broken; easily damaged.

delicacy

The quality of being delicate; requires careful handling.

Someone who lacks toughness or durability, especially in a competition.

He can't handle the tough training; he's too frail for this sport.

A term used to describe a weak argument or point.

That reasoning is too frail to convince anyone.