1
: easily led into evil
frail humanity
2
: easily broken or destroyed : fragile
frail, open-cockpit biplanes …Jonathan Weiner
3
a
: physically weak
a frail old woman
a frail voice
b
: slight, unsubstantial
smiled a minute frail smileRaymond Chandler
frailly adverb
frailness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for frail

weak, feeble, frail, fragile, infirm, decrepit mean not strong enough to endure strain, pressure, or strenuous effort.

weak applies to deficiency or inferiority in strength or power of any sort.

felt weak after the surgery

feeble suggests extreme weakness inviting pity or contempt.

a feeble attempt to walk

frail implies delicacy and slightness of constitution or structure.

a frail teenager unable to enjoy sports

fragile suggests frailty and brittleness unable to resist rough usage.

a reclusive poet too fragile for the rigors of this world

infirm suggests instability, unsoundness, and insecurity due to old age or disabling illness.

infirm residents requiring constant care

decrepit implies being worn-out or broken-down from long use or old age.

the dowager's decrepit retainers

Examples of frail in a Sentence

In his old age his health became increasingly frail. a small and frail ship
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
His frail voice also put on display the severity of his condition. Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2025 Instead, two frail aging parents in failing health are supposed to continue to be legally in charge of one another. Carolyn Rosenblatt, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025 Video footage showed the two men looking frail and scared as they were taken to a stage in front of a crowd while flanked by masked gunmen. Landon Mion, Fox News, 22 Feb. 2025 In patients with hip fractures—predominantly frail, older people—that immobility can lead to dire consequences. Lydia Denworth, Scientific American, 18 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for frail

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of frail was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Frail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frail. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

frail

adjective
1
: easily led into evil
frail humanity
2
3
: not having normal strength or force
spoke in a frail voice
frailly adverb
frailness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on frail

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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