fragile

fragile — adjective

1. describes objects made of glass, ceramic, or similar materials that crack, snap,

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes objects made of glass, ceramic, or similar materials that crack, snap, or shatter when hit, dropped, or handled roughly

Example

The delivery box was marked '[[Fragile]] — Handle with Care' in bright red letters.

used on packaging and shipping labels

Adina carefully wrapped each [[fragile]] wine glass in several layers of newspaper before packing it.

common objects: glass, dishes, electronics

Common collocations
  • fragile glass
  • fragile object
  • fragile item
  • fragile material
  • extremely fragile
  • handle with care
Synonyms
  • breakable

    more general; anything that can break, not necessarily from light impact

  • brittle

    describes hard materials that crack or snap rather than bend; narrower than fragile

  • delicate

    emphasises fineness or refinement rather than the danger of breaking

Antonyms
  • sturdy

    built strongly and unlikely to break

  • durable

    able to last a long time without breaking

Usage Note

Often seen on shipping labels and packaging instructions. This sense is typically used with objects made of glass, ceramic, porcelain, thin plastic, or electronic components.

Common Mistakes

This vase is very delicate so place it somewhere safe.
This vase is very fragile
place it somewhere safe.' — 'Delicate' can suggest refined craftsmanship, while 'fragile' more directly warns that the item breaks easily.

2. used to describe a situation, system, or relationship that lacks stability and c

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

used to describe a situation, system, or relationship that lacks stability and could be damaged, destroyed, or ended by a minor change or problem

Example

The ceasefire between the two armies remained [[fragile]], with both sides accusing each other of small violations.

collocation: fragile ceasefire / fragile peace

Minh warned investors that the country's economic recovery was still [[fragile]] and could be reversed by rising oil prices.

collocation: fragile economy / fragile recovery

Common collocations
  • fragile peace
  • fragile economy
  • fragile relationship
  • fragile state
  • politically fragile
  • economically fragile
Synonyms
  • vulnerable

    open to attack or harm; broader in scope and often implies a target rather than instability

  • tenuous

    so weak that it may disappear; more formal and less common than fragile

  • unstable

    likely to change or collapse suddenly; focuses on lack of balance rather than external threat

Antonyms
  • stable

    not easily changed or damaged

  • robust

    strong and able to handle problems

Usage Note

Subject is usually an abstract noun such as peace, economy, ceasefire, relationship, democracy, or alliance. Frequently used in news reports and political analysis.

Common Mistakes

The peace was fragile, but I didn't know why it would be destroyed.
The peace was fragile: a single attack could restart the war.
When describing something as fragile, you should explain what specific force could break it; otherwise the claim sounds vague.

3. in a state of poor physical or emotional health, so that even minor stress, illn

3.adjectiveB1
Definition

in a state of poor physical or emotional health, so that even minor stress, illness, or effort can cause harm or exhaustion

Example

After three weeks in hospital, Felix's grandfather looked thin and [[fragile]], though his spirit remained strong.

collocation: thin and fragile

The doctor said Roya's [[fragile]] immune system meant she had to avoid crowded places during flu season.

collocation: fragile immune system / fragile health

Common collocations
  • fragile health
  • fragile bones
  • fragile immune system
  • emotionally fragile
  • mentally fragile
  • physically fragile
Synonyms
  • frail

    physically weak, especially due to age or illness; slightly more narrow than fragile

  • delicate

    easily affected by outside conditions; more about sensitivity than weakness

  • vulnerable

    open to being hurt physically or emotionally; broader and less tied to health status

Antonyms
  • strong

    physically or emotionally robust

  • healthy

    in good physical and mental condition

Usage Note

Commonly collocates with health-related nouns — health, bones, immune system, mental state, emotional condition. Can describe both temporary illness and long-term vulnerability. Often implies the person needs special care or protection.

Common Mistakes

After the marathon she was fragile.
After the marathon she was exhausted.
Use 'fragile' for ongoing weakness or vulnerability, not for temporary tiredness after a single strenuous activity (see sense 4 for feeling unwell after a specific event).

4. feeling sick, weak, or exhausted the morning after consuming a lot of alcohol

4.adjectiveB2
Definition

feeling sick, weak, or exhausted the morning after consuming a lot of alcohol

Example

After the New Year's party, Christopher woke up feeling rather [[fragile]] and could not face breakfast.

informal: feel fragile = hungover / unwell

Mauricio told his flatmate he was feeling a bit [[fragile]] and asked her to keep the noise down.

pattern: a bit fragile / rather fragile

Common collocations
  • feel fragile
  • look fragile
  • a bit fragile
  • rather fragile
  • too fragile to [verb]
Synonyms
  • hung over

    the standard American English term; more specific to alcohol

  • rough

    informal and broader; can describe any kind of bad physical state, not just hangovers

Usage Note

Informal register, most common in British English. Almost always follows the verbs feel, look, or seem. The cause (alcohol or lack of sleep) is usually clear from context. Less common in American English, where hung over is more typical.

5. made of very light, thin material and often beautiful, but easily harmed or spoi

5.adjectiveB2
Definition

made of very light, thin material and often beautiful, but easily harmed or spoiled; also used of natural environments that are sensitive to change

Example

Élise wore a necklace of [[fragile]] silver threads that shimmered like spiderwebs in the sunlight.

collocation: fragile threads / fragile silver

The mountain wildflowers had [[fragile]] white petals that fell apart at the slightest touch.

collocation: fragile petals

Common collocations
  • fragile beauty
  • fragile ecosystem
  • fragile petals
  • fragile wings
  • fragile lace
  • fragile coral
Synonyms
  • delicate

    very close in meaning; delicate focuses more on fineness of construction, fragile on the risk of breaking

  • dainty

    small and pretty in a refined way; less about risk of damage and more about charm

Antonyms
  • sturdy

    solidly built

  • coarse

    rough in texture or appearance; the opposite of finely delicate

Usage Note

Often carries a positive or admiring tone when describing crafted objects or natural beauty (fragile lace, fragile butterfly wings) and a protective or warning tone when describing natural environments (fragile ecosystem, fragile coral reef).

Common Mistakes

The lace curtains were fragile but ugly.
The lace curtains were fragile but beautiful.
When used admiringly, 'fragile' implies delicacy that is also aesthetically pleasing; pairing it with a negative judgement sounds contradictory.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Fragile, delicate, brittle, and breakable all describe things that can be damaged easily, but they focus on different aspects. Fragile is the most general word: a fragile object breaks with little force, and the term carries a warning tone. Delicate emphasises fineness or refinement — delicate lace, a delicate mechanism — and may or may not imply that it breaks easily. Brittle describes hard materials like glass or dry wood that crack or snap rather than bending; a brittle object shatters suddenly, whereas something fragile may just crack. Breakable is the simplest, broadest term: anything that can break into pieces, from a plastic cup to a ceramic plate, is breakable. Use fragile when you want to warn someone, delicate when you want to praise the craftsmanship, brittle when the failure mode is shattering, and breakable when the only point is that it is not unbreakable. For example: 'The movers were told the vase was fragile, so they handled it with care. Its delicate blue pattern was visible through the bubble wrap. The stem was brittle, likely to snap if the vase tilted too far. The packing list simply said "breakable items: 2 boxes."'

fragile ↗delicate ↗brittlebreakable

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in a fragile state
  • in fragile condition

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Fragile comes from Latin fragilis, meaning 'easily broken,' which derives from frangere, 'to break.' It entered English in the early 1500s through French fragile, retaining the same literal meaning. Over time, the word expanded from describing only physical objects to covering abstract situations (fragile peace), health conditions (fragile bones), and even delicate aesthetic qualities (fragile beauty).