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frailty

noun
frailĀ·​ty | \ Ėˆfrāl-tē How to pronounce frailty (audio) \
plural frailties

Definition of frailty

1 : the quality or state of being frail the frailty of her health the frailty and disability in the elderly
2 : a fault due to weakness especially of moral character Satire ā€¦ often employs irony and sarcasm to denounce the frailties and faults of mankind.— Harry Shaw
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Synonyms & Antonyms for frailty

Synonyms

demerit, dereliction, failing, fault, foible, shortcoming, sin, vice, want, weakness

Antonyms

merit, virtue

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Choose the Right Synonym for frailty

fault, failing, frailty, foible, vice mean an imperfection or weakness of character. fault implies a failure, not necessarily culpable, to reach some standard of perfection in disposition, action, or habit. a writer of many virtues and few faults failing suggests a minor shortcoming in character. being late is a failing of mine frailty implies a general or chronic proneness to yield to temptation. human frailties foible applies to a harmless or endearing weakness or idiosyncrasy. an eccentric's charming foibles vice can be a general term for any imperfection or weakness, but it often suggests violation of a moral code or the giving of offense to the moral sensibilities of others. compulsive gambling was his vice

Examples of frailty in a Sentence

the frailty of her voice We can no longer be surprised by the frailties of our political leaders.

Recent Examples on the Web

 Horror depends on the spectacle of human frailties, on the good and foolish choices that bridge the distance between the viewer and the screen (or blow it to smithereens). — Mark Olsen, latimes.com, "Indie Focus: Come away with 'Midsommar'," 5 July 2019 At left-back, the ever reliable Nacho Monreal began showing signs of frailty last season, while Sead Kolasinac just doesn't have a defensive bone in his body. — SI.com, "6 Positions Arsenal Must Strengthen to Get Back Into the Top 4 Next Season," 1 July 2019 Society needs an approachā€”devoted to moral rigor but comprehending of human frailtyā€”that understands this. — Paula Marantz Cohen, WSJ, "Kant in Kindergarten Could Ease the Civility Crisis," 28 Dec. 2018 Nostalgia and emotional ownership are closely linked with physical frailty. — Los Angeles Times, "Column: Cassette tapes are making a comeback. But itā€™s about the culture, not the sound," 6 Aug. 2019 If only the game was better structured around the relative frailty of its heroinesā€”the lack of effective stealth, specifically, is a bummer. — Julie Muncy, WIRED, "Wolfenstein: Youngblood Is a Rare Game About Sisterhood," 30 July 2019 But there is not a person in the organization or that watches the team on a regular basis that doesnā€™t know where the frailties lie. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Hosmer talks about Padres as contenders, knows importance of this point in season," 27 June 2019 These defensive frailties will particularly worry Newcastle fans, as the solidity of their back-line had previously been considered their principal strength. — SI.com, "Newcastle 0-4 Wolves: Report, Ratings & Reaction as Magpies' Woes Continue With Heavy Defeat," 17 July 2019 In that sense, his work, like so many remarkable dramas before it, offered a revealing and candid look at the price of human frailty. — Erin Overbey, The New Yorker, "Sunday Reading: A Night at the Theatre," 30 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'frailty.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of frailty

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for frailty

Middle English frelete, freelte, borrowed from Anglo-French freletƩ, going back to Latin fragilitāt-, fragilitās, from fragilis "liable to break, weak, fragile" + -itāt-, -itās -ity

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More Definitions for frailty

frailty

noun
How to pronounce frailty (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of frailty

: physical weakness : the quality or state of being frail
: weakness of character that causes a person to do things that are morally wrong

See the full definition for frailty in the English Language Learners Dictionary

frailty

noun
frailĀ·​ty | \ Ėˆfrāl-tē How to pronounce frailty (audio) \
plural frailties

Kids Definition of frailty

1 : the quality or state of being weak the old man's frailty
2 : a weakness of character human frailty

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More from Merriam-Webster on frailty

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for frailty

Spanish Central: Translation of frailty

Nglish: Translation of frailty for Spanish Speakers

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