Frail

Pronunciation: /freɪl/

Definitions of frail

adjective A descriptive word used to describe someone or something that is weak or delicate.

Example Sentences

A1 The old man walked slowly with a frail frame.

A2 She was too frail to carry the heavy boxes.

B1 The frail bridge swayed in the wind, making it dangerous to cross.

B2 Despite her frail appearance, she had a strong will and determination.

C1 The frail economy of the country was struggling to recover from the recession.

C2 The frail thread of trust between the two countries was hanging by a thread.

Examples of frail in a Sentence

formal The elderly woman was quite frail and needed assistance with walking.

informal She looked so frail after being sick for weeks.

slang I can't believe he tried to lift that heavy box, he's so frail!

figurative The fragile peace between the two countries was as frail as a delicate glass sculpture.

Grammatical Forms of frail

• past tense: frail
• plural: frails
• comparative: frailer
• superlative: frailest
• present tense: frails
• future tense: will frail
• perfect tense: has/have frailed
• continuous tense: is frail
• singular: frail
• positive degree: frail
• infinitive: to frail
• gerund: frailing
• participle: frailing

Origin and Evolution of frail

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old French

Story behind the word: The word 'frail' originated from the Old French word 'fraile' which meant weak or delicate.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'frail' has evolved to also mean easily broken or fragile, in addition to weak or delicate.