Definition

1. Noun:
   • Moral weakness; susceptibility to temptation or sin: The quality or state of being frail in character or virtue; a fault arising from human weakness.
   • Physical weakness; the condition of being delicate or fragile, especially due to age or illness: The state of being weak in health or bodily strength.

Usage and Examples

• Moral Weakness:

  • He loved her despite her human frailties. (This refers to her moral imperfections or character flaws.)
  • Greed and jealousy are common human frailties. (These are examples of moral weaknesses.)

• Physical Weakness:

  • The patient's frailty made it difficult for her to live alone. (This refers to her physical fragility, likely from age or sickness.)
  • With age comes a certain frailty. (This describes the physical weakness associated with aging.)

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• Used to express a forgiving or understanding attitude toward human imperfection:
  • We must show compassion for the frailties of others. (Here, 'frailties' implies understandable human shortcomings.)
• Can be used in a formal or literary context to describe a structural or abstract weakness:
  • The treaty exposed the frailty of the alliance. (This uses the concept metaphorically to mean a fundamental weakness or vulnerability.)

Variants and Related Words

• Frail (adj): Physically weak or delicate; easily broken or damaged. ()
• Frailly (adv): In a frail manner. (Rarely used.)
• Frailless (adj): Without frailty. (Rarely used.)

Synonyms

• Weakness: The most general synonym for a lack of strength, either physical or moral.
• Fragility: The quality of being easily broken or damaged; emphasizes delicateness.
• Infirmity: The state of being physically weak, especially through age or illness (more formal).
• Failing: A weakness, especially in character.
• Foible: A minor weakness or eccentricity in someone's character.

Antonyms

• Strength: The quality of being physically strong or having moral fortitude.
• Robustness: The condition of being strong and healthy; vigor.
• Resilience: The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.

Idioms and Phrases

• "To be a prey to one's frailties": To be overcome or controlled by one's weaknesses.
  • In his later years, he became a prey to his frailties.
• "The frailty of human nature": A common phrase acknowledging that all humans are inherently weak or imperfect.
  • The story is a lesson on the frailty of human nature.

Noun

1. moral weakness
2. the state of being weak in health or body (especially from old age)