fragile

/ˈfɹæd͡ʒaɪl/

//ˈfɹæd͡ʒaɪl// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"fragile" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“fragile” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #8,792 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#8,792
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Easily broken, not sturdy; of delicate material.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

fragile vs frail
71% similar
fragile vs facile
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for fragile
PropertyValue
Headwordfragile
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈfɹæd͡ʒaɪl/
Letters7
Frequency rank#8,792
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “fragile” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). fragile lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for fragile is 7 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈfɹæd͡ʒaɪl/. Corpus data places it at rank #8,792 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for fragile, with forms such as "fargile", "ffragile", and "fraggile". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "frail", "facile", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French fragile, from Latin fragilis, formed on frag-, the root of frangere (“to break”). Cognate with fraction, fracture and doublet of frail. The correct English form is fragile, spelled F-R-A-G-I-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Easily broken, not sturdy; of delicate material.
  2. 2
    Readily disrupted or destroyed.
  3. 3
    Feeling weak or easily disturbed as a result of illness.
  4. 4
    Thin-skinned or oversensitive.

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French fragile, from Latin fragilis, formed on frag-, the root of frangere (“to break”). Cognate with fraction, fracture and doublet of frail.

Synonyms

breakabledelicatedestructibleflimsyfragilefrailfrailsomefrangibletenuous

Antonyms

antifragiledurableindestructibleunbreakableunfragile

This word in other languages

frágil(Español)fragile(Français)fragil(Deutsch)frágil(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: fargile,ffragile,fraggile,fragiel,fragille,fraglie,fraigle,frgaile,frragile,rfagile

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of fragile - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

fargile2ffragile1fraggile1fragiel2fragille1fraglie2fraigle2frgaile2
Edit distance from "fragile"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "fragile"?
"fragile" is spelled F-R-A-G-I-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɹæd͡ʒaɪl/.
What does "fragile" mean?
As an adjective, "fragile" means: Easily broken, not sturdy; of delicate material.
What words are commonly confused with "fragile"?
"fragile" is commonly confused with "frail", "facile". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "fragile"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "fragile" is /ˈfɹæd͡ʒaɪl/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "fragile"?
Borrowed from Middle French fragile, from Latin fragilis, formed on frag-, the root of frangere (“to break”). Cognate with fraction, fracture and doublet of frail. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “fragile”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is F-R-A-G-I-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈfɹæd͡ʒaɪl/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “frail” - see the side-by-side comparison. fragile vs frail
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list