frail

¹ American  

[freyl] / freɪl /

adjective

frailer, comparative frailest superlative

1. having delicate health; not robust; weak.

   My grandfather is rather frail now.

   Synonyms:

   frangible, breakable, feeble

   Antonyms:

   sturdy

2. easily broken or destroyed; fragile.

   Synonyms:

   frangible, breakable, feeble

   Antonyms:

   sturdy

3. morally weak; easily tempted.

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noun

1. Older Slang: Sometimes Offensive. a term used to refer to a girl or woman.

frail ² American  

[freyl] / freɪl /

noun

1. a flexible basket made of rushes, used especially for dried fruits, as dates, figs, or raisins.

2. a certain quantity of raisins, about 75 pounds (34 kilograms), contained in such a basket.

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frail ¹ British  

/ freɪl /

adjective

1. physically weak and delicate

2. fragile

   a frail craft

3. easily corrupted or tempted

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frail ² British  

/ freɪl /

noun

1. a rush basket for figs or raisins

2. a quantity of raisins or figs equal to between 50 and 75 pounds

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Sensitive Note

This term is sometimes perceived as insulting or condescending when used to refer to a woman, since it reinforces the stereotype of a weak female.

Synonym Usage

Frail, brittle, fragile imply a delicacy or weakness of substance or construction. Frail applies particularly to health and immaterial things: a frail constitution; frail hopes. Brittle implies a hard material that snaps or breaks to pieces easily: brittle as glass. Fragile implies that the object must be handled carefully to avoid breakage or damage: fragile bric-a-brac.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• frailness
  noun
• frailly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Adjectives

• frailer
  comparative
• frailest
  superlative

Etymology

Origin of frail¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English frail(e), frel(e), from Old French, from Latin fragilis fragile

Origin of frail²

First recorded 1300–50; Middle English frayel, fraelle, from Old French frayel; further origin unknown

Explanation

Something that is delicate and fragile can be described as frail. Grandma's favorite vase is probably too frail to use for football practice; some of us have learned that the hard way. Frail can also be used to describe a person's physical condition: "When I broke my grandmother's vase, she yelled in a voice so loud that it was hard to believe it was coming from her small, frail frame." Another way to use frail is in reference to a person's emotional state. As the poet Sylvia Plath astutely observed, "How frail the human heart must be."

Example Sentences

Although increasingly frail and confined to a wheelchair, he was actively involved in the staging of a wide-ranging exhibition of his career in Paris in April 2025.

From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026

But despite the jump in inflation expectations, signs of higher energy costs feeding through to broader price pressures so far look limited given the frail economic outlook and growing distress within the U.K. labor market.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

But his debate performance - along with gaffes during a Nato summit in the following weeks and a frail demeanour after a Covid diagnosis - ultimately led to him ending his candidacy.

From BBC • May 27, 2026

The Bucks County, Pennsylvania, grandmother, then 76, looked frail but resolute.

From Salon • Apr. 24, 2026

Madu’s head was slightly cocked to the side as Kainene spoke, her body looked frail next to his huge frame, and they seemed somehow to fit effortlessly.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Related Words

• decrepit
• feeble
• fragile
• infirm
• sickly
• slender
• slim
• thin
• vulnerable