What does fragile mean?
Word: Fragile
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Fragile means easily broken or damaged, so it must be handled with care.
Synonyms: delicate, breakable, weak
Antonyms: strong, unbreakable
How do you spell fragile?
Syllables: frag - ile
Tricky part: The g is soft because an i follows it. The word ends in ile, not ial, el or ail.
Watch out for: fragil, fragle, fradgile
Memory tip: Fragile ends with the ile of smile and while: picture a glass bowl, wrapped up safely, that keeps smiling all the way home.
Fragile in a sentence
Example 1: Wrap the glass bowl in newspaper; it is fragile.
Example 2: The parcel of bangles from Firozabad had a fragile sticker on every side.
Example 3: A bird's egg is fragile, so do not touch the nest.
Fun Fact
The packing sign for fragile used around the world is a simple drawing of a tall glass with a stem, so handlers who cannot read the word still take care.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word:
fragile
a) brittle
b) sturdy
c) dainty
d) flimsy
Show answer
b) sturdy. Brittle, flimsy and dainty things all break easily; a sturdy one survives the knocks.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) package
b) fregile
c) precious
d) careful
Show answer
b) fregile. The first vowel is a, so fregile is the one spelt wrong.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
gefrail
a) failure
b) giraffe
c) algae
d) fragile
Show answer
d) fragile. Giraffe needs two f's, failure a u and algae a second a; only fragile uses all seven letters.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Grandma wrapped her fragile glass bangles in a soft hankerchief.
a) fragile
b) bangles
c) hankerchief
d) soft
Show answer
c) hankerchief. Handkerchief keeps the d of hand at the start.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these is most fragile?
a) a rubber ball
b) a brick
c) an iron rod
d) a light bulb
Show answer
d) a light bulb
2. A fragile friendship is one that ____.
a) is stronger than steel
b) began in the first class
c) could easily break apart
d) has lasted for many years
Show answer
c) could easily break apart
