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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
The frail but determined Francis greeted thousands in St. Peter's Square after Easter Mass in his open-air popemobile, just five weeks after a hospital stay.
—
Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Very old or frail tapestries may be best framed to protect them.
—Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 June 2025
And Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data shows about one-quarter of all Medicaid benefits, more than $200 billion annually, pays for long-term care for about 9 million frail older adults and younger people with disabilities.
—Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
First, most previous studies looked at the general older population, including healthy or mildly ill people, whereas this study focused on frail, vulnerable individuals receiving home care who might be more functionally limited but also better connected to formal care systems.
—New Atlas, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for frail
Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Very old or frail tapestries may be best framed to protect them.
—Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 June 2025
And Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data shows about one-quarter of all Medicaid benefits, more than $200 billion annually, pays for long-term care for about 9 million frail older adults and younger people with disabilities.
—Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
First, most previous studies looked at the general older population, including healthy or mildly ill people, whereas this study focused on frail, vulnerable individuals receiving home care who might be more functionally limited but also better connected to formal care systems.
—New Atlas, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for frail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frail
Adjective
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During the chandelier's cleaning process, the office said workers wear gloves to minimize human contact and ensure its integrity is not jeopardized because it is made up of soft and fragile materials.—
Keelin Fisher,
Arkansas Online,
21 July 2025
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Real grasscloth wallpaper, made from natural fibers like jute or seagrass, is extremely fragile and sensitive to moisture, paste, and pressure.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 July 2025
Adjective
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In Cisco’s 2025 Data Privacy Benchmark, 64% of global respondents worry about inadvertently exposing sensitive information through AI tools, even as nearly half admit to feeding personal data into them.—
Boris Dzhingarov,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
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And new privacy legislation in Senate Bill 1295 requires collectors of sensitive data to notify consumers if their personal data is being used to train large language models.—
Angela Eichhorst,
Hartford Courant,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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Those weak harvests, in turn, are due to drought and high temperatures and more generally climate change, which has negatively impacted coffee harvests for several years.—
Jaclyn Diaz,
NPR,
21 July 2025
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It is considered a serious condition and can be dangerous or life-threatening, especially to older adults, people with weak immune systems, and pregnant women.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
In a small bowl, combine the softened butter and garlic and mix well.—
Robin Miller,
AZCentral.com,
25 July 2025
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Beyond providing an invitation for music-curious Austinites to come explore the clubs, the festival offers a lifeline to musicians and venues during the slow summer season, when small clubs that support emerging artists face some of their greatest challenges.—
Mars Salazar,
Austin American Statesman,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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Tasters enjoyed Canada Dry’s balance of flavors, noting that its delicate citrus played well with a sharp bitter note on the back of their tongues.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 July 2025
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For instance, delicate fabrics like wool, silk, or linen will likely have different washing requirements than white cotton garments.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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Joe Biden’s disastrous June 2024 debate performance, when the nation witnessed a hoarse and feeble president losing his train of thought and struggling to finish sentences, ended his re-election campaign.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
8 July 2025
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Their feeble efforts fall flat, because the physical historical record dictates otherwise.—
Daily Southtown,
Chicago Tribune,
4 July 2025
Adjective
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Expected soft opening: August 2025 Details: 1325 Grand Ave., Suite 6, Phoenix.—
Bahar Anooshahr,
AZCentral.com,
21 July 2025
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The creamy, dual-action formula works to unclog keratin plugs without irritation, leaving areas such as the backs of the arms and thighs feeling noticeably softer.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
20 July 2025
Adjective
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The former is focusing on the general consumer audience as Samsung’s marketing leans into the benefits of AI, while Honor positions the latter as a more fashionable and cutting-edge design due to its slim nature.—
Ewan Spence,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
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This pair with a 2-inch heel also has a square toe, slim strap, and shiny black appearance.—
Izzy Baskette,
People.com,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Frail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frail. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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