Frail — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈfrāl/

Meaning & Definition of Frail

Frail (adjective)

  1. easily broken or destroyed, fragile
  2. physically weak
  3. slight, unsubstantial

Frail (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. easily broken

    "a frail eggshell"

    similar: breakable, delicate, fragile, frangible
    related: dainty, fine, gossamer, eggshell, flimsy, slight, tenuous, brittle, crisp, crispy, crumbly, crushable, embrittled, flaky, friable, shaky, shivery, short, feeble, infirm, soft, spindly, tender, weak, inelastic, inflexible, stiff
    opposite: infrangible, nonbreakable, strong, sturdy, tough, unbreakable
    near: compact, firm, hard, rigid, solid, substantial, unyielding, elastic, flexible, resilient, rubberlike, rubbery, springy, stretch, stretchable, supple

  2. easily injured without careful handling

    "be careful with your grandmother, as she's very frail and a fall would be disastrous"

    similar: delicate, fragile, sensitive, tender
    related: breakable, brittle, crushable, eggshell, frangible, friable, feeble, flimsy, puny, slight, soft, tenuous, weak, nonhardy, perishable, resistless, susceptible, unresistant, vulnerable, yielding
    opposite: tough
    near: durable, firm, flinty, hard, hardy, resistant, robust, rugged, solid, sound, stiff, stout, strong, sturdy, substantial, infrangible, nonbreakable, unbreakable, hardened, inured, strengthened, tempered, toughened

  3. lacking bodily strength

    "he was frail after a long battle with bronchitis"

    similar: asthenic, debilitated, delicate, down-and-out, effete, enervated, enfeebled, faint, feeble, infirm, languid, low, prostrate, prostrated, sapped, slight, soft, softened, tender, unsubstantial, wasted, weak, weakened, wimpish, wimpy
    related: disabled, incapacitated, invalid, paralyzed, broken-down, decrepit, impotent, powerless, breakable, flimsy, fragile, dizzy, groggy, rocky, unsteady, woozy, drained, exhausted, flagging, tired, weary, worn-out, damaged, harmed, hurt, impaired, injured, unsound, resistless, susceptible, unresistant, vulnerable, yielding
    opposite: mighty, powerful, rugged, stalwart, stout, strong
    near: able-bodied, athletic, beefy, brawny, fit, husky, muscular, sinewy, strapping, virile, hard, hardy, lusty, red-blooded, robust, sturdy, tough, fortified, hardened, inured, strengthened, toughened, energetic, energized, invigorated, vigorous, vitalized, hale, healthy, sound, capable, competent, convalescing, recovering, recuperating

  4. lacking strength of will or character

    "a frail person, easily swayed by others"

    similar: characterless, effete, invertebrate, limp-wristed, milk-and-water, namby-pamby, nerveless, soft, spineless, weak, weak-kneed, weakened, weakling, wet (British), wimpish, wimpy, wishy-washy
    related: flabby, flaccid, forceless, ineffective, ineffectual, impotent, impuissant, powerless, emasculated, unnerved, lamblike, meek, pliable, submissive, corrupt, dastardly, unprincipled, unscrupulous, villainous, cowardly, craven, fainthearted, lily-livered, nebbishy, poltroon, pusillanimous, sissy, timid, infirm, irresolute, vacillating
    opposite: backboned, firm, hard, strong, tough
    near: ethical, good, moral, principled, right, righteous, upright, virtuous, determined, mettlesome, resolute, unrelenting, courageous, stalwart, stouthearted

  5. small in degree

    "a frail hope of success"

    similar: fragile, negligible, off, outside, remote, slight, slim, small
    related: marginal, minimal, minor, little, tiny
    opposite: good
    near: great, large, distinct, significant, considerable, goodly, healthy, largish, respectable, sizable, substantial, tidy

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Frail

The most common words with a similar meaning to Frail:

British: wet
breakable, delicate, fragile, frangible, sensitive, tender, asthenic, debilitated, down-and-out, effete, enervated, enfeebled, faint, feeble, infirm, languid, low, prostrate, prostrated, sapped, slight, soft, softened, unsubstantial, wasted, weak, weakened, wimpish, wimpy, characterless, invertebrate, limp-wristed, milk-and-water, namby-pamby, nerveless, spineless, weak-kneed, weakling, wishy-washy, negligible

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Frail

Words with the opposite meaning of Frail:

infrangible, nonbreakable, strong, sturdy, tough, unbreakable, mighty, powerful, rugged, stalwart, stout, backboned, firm, hard, good

Related Words for Frail

dainty, fine, gossamer, eggshell, flimsy, tenuous, brittle, crisp, crispy, crumbly, crushable, embrittled, flaky, friable, shaky, shivery, short, spindly, inelastic, inflexible, stiff, puny, nonhardy, perishable, resistless, susceptible, unresistant, vulnerable, yielding, disabled

Near Antonyms of Frail

compact, rigid, solid, substantial, unyielding, elastic, flexible, resilient, rubberlike, rubbery, springy, stretch, stretchable, supple, durable, flinty, hardy, resistant, robust, sound, stiff, hardened, inured, strengthened, tempered, toughened, able-bodied, athletic, beefy, brawny

Word Forms of Frail

Derived words: frailly (adverb), frailness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Frail

Middle English frele, frayle, borrowed from Anglo-French frel, fraile, going back to Latin fragilis "liable to break, weak" fragile

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Frail

What does "Frail" mean?

"Frail" means easily broken or destroyed, fragile. As an adjective, it is defined as: easily broken or destroyed, fragile. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Frail"?

Other words for "Frail" include breakable, delicate, fragile, frangible, sensitive, tender, asthenic and debilitated. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Frail" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Frail"?

There are 133 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Frail". Common alternatives include breakable, delicate, fragile, frangible, sensitive, tender, asthenic, debilitated, down-and-out and effete.

What is the opposite of "Frail"?

Antonyms of "Frail" include infrangible, nonbreakable, strong, sturdy, tough, unbreakable, mighty and powerful. Near antonyms include compact, rigid, solid and substantial.

How do you use "Frail" in a sentence?

Examples of "Frail" in a sentence: "a frail eggshell"; "be careful with your grandmother, as she's very frail and a fall would be disastrous"; "he was frail after a long battle with bronchitis".

Is "Frail" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Frail" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Frail"?

"Frail" is pronounced /ˈfrāl/.

What is the origin of the word "Frail"?

"Frail" comes from Middle English frele, frayle, borrowed from Anglo-French frel, fraile, going back to Latin fragilis "liable to break, weak" fragile. First known use: 14th century.