Delicate vs. Fragile — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 30, 2023
Delicate refers to items that need careful handling due to their intricate nature, while fragile denotes items that are easily broken or damaged.
Difference Between Delicate and Fragile
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Delicate often implies intricacy or fineness, whereas fragile suggests a vulnerability to breaking or damage. Both denote a need for careful handling.
A delicate object may not always be fragile, as it can imply refined beauty, while fragile inherently implies a risk of damage or breakage.
Delicate is used in broader contexts, including describing flavors or situations, whereas fragile is primarily used for physical objects or states.
In emotional contexts, delicate can describe sensitive matters; fragile, however, often refers to vulnerable emotional states or ecosystems.
Delicate items can endure with careful handling, but fragile items have an inherent weakness, even with care.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Implication
Intricacy, fineness.
Vulnerability to damage.
Usage Contexts
Objects, flavors, situations, emotions.
Physical objects, states, emotions, ecosystems.
Durability
Can be durable if handled carefully.
Inherently vulnerable, even with care.
Emotional Connotations
Sensitive matters, subtle nuances.
Vulnerability, weakness.
Associated Characteristics
Refined, intricate, subtle.
Breakable, delicate, vulnerable.
Compare with Definitions
Delicate
Easily Damaged
The vase was delicate and needed careful handling.
Fragile
Weak
His health was fragile after the surgery.
Delicate
Fine Quality
She wore a dress made of delicate lace.
Fragile
Easily Broken
The fragile glass shattered immediately.
Delicate
Subtle
The dish had a delicate flavor.
Fragile
Delicate Structure
The sculpture was beautiful but fragile.
Delicate
Sensitive
The situation required a delicate approach.
Fragile
Easily broken, damaged, or destroyed.
Delicate
Fine or Exquisite
His delicate craftsmanship was admirable.
Fragile
Lacking physical or emotional strength; delicate
A fragile personality.
Delicate
Very fine in texture or structure; of intricate workmanship or quality
A delicate lace shawl
Fragile
Lacking substance; tenuous or flimsy
A fragile claim to fame.
Delicate
Easily broken or damaged; fragile
Delicate china
Fragile
Easily broken or destroyed, and thus often of subtle or intricate structure.
The chemist synthesizes a fragile molecule.
The UN tries to maintain the fragile peace process in the region.
Delicate
Requiring sensitive or careful handling
Delicate negotiations
Fragile
(UK) Feeling weak or easily disturbed as a result of illness.
Delicate
A delicate fabric or garment
The delicates cycle of a washing machine
Fragile
(UK) Thin-skinned or oversensitive.
He is a very fragile person and gets easily depressed.
Delicate
Pleasing to the senses, especially in a subtle way
A delicate flavor.
A delicate violin passage.
Fragile
Something that is fragile.
Delicate
Easily broken or damaged
A kite too delicate to fly.
Fragile
Easily broken; brittle; frail; delicate; easily destroyed.
The state of ivy is tough, and not fragile.
Delicate
Exquisitely fine or dainty
Delicate china.
Fragile
Easily broken or damaged or destroyed;
A kite too delicate to fly safely
Fragile porcelain plates
Fragile old bones
A frail craft
Delicate
Frail in constitution or health.
Fragile
Vulnerably delicate;
She has the fragile beauty of youth
Delicate
Marked by sensitivity of discrimination
A critic's delicate perception.
Fragile
Lacking solidity or strength;
A flimsy table
Flimsy construction
A fragile link with the past
Delicate
Very subtle in difference or distinction.
Fragile
Vulnerable
The ecosystem in the area is quite fragile.
Delicate
Having or showing great consideration or care
Delicate remarks concerning the scandal.
Fragile
Brittle
The pages of the old book were fragile and brittle.
Delicate
Requiring careful or tactful treatment
A delicate situation.
Delicate
Fine or soft in touch or skill
A surgeon's delicate touch.
Delicate
Measuring, indicating, or responding to very small changes; precise
A delicate set of scales.
Delicate
Easily damaged or requiring careful handling.
Those clothes are made from delicate lace.
The negotiations were very delicate.
Delicate
Characterized by a fine structure or thin lines.
Her face was delicate.
The spider wove a delicate web.
There was a delicate pattern of frost on the window.
Delicate
Intended for use with fragile items.
Set the washing machine to the delicate cycle.
Delicate
Refined; gentle; scrupulous not to trespass or offend; considerate; said of manners, conduct, or feelings.
Delicate behaviour
Delicate attentions
Delicate thoughtfulness
Delicate
Of weak health; easily sick; unable to endure hardship.
A delicate child
Delicate health
Delicate
(informal) Unwell, especially because of having drunk too much alcohol.
Please don't speak so loudly: I'm feeling a bit delicate this morning.
Delicate
(obsolete) Addicted to pleasure; luxurious; voluptuous; alluring.
Delicate
Pleasing to the senses; refined; adapted to please an elegant or cultivated taste.
A delicate dish
Delicate flavour
Delicate
Slight and shapely; lovely; graceful.
Delicate
Light, or softly tinted; said of a colour.
A delicate shade of blue
Delicate
Of exacting tastes and habits; dainty; fastidious.
Delicate
Highly discriminating or perceptive; refinedly critical; sensitive; exquisite.
A delicate taste
A delicate ear for music
Delicate
Affected by slight causes; showing slight changes.
A delicate thermometer
Delicate
A delicate item of clothing, especially underwear or lingerie.
Don't put that in with your jeans: it's a delicate!
Delicate
(obsolete) A choice dainty; a delicacy.
Delicate
(obsolete) A delicate, luxurious, or effeminate person.
Delicate
Addicted to pleasure; luxurious; voluptuous; alluring.
Dives, for his delicate life, to the devil went.
Haarlem is a very delicate town.
Delicate
Pleasing to the senses; refinedly agreeable; hence, adapted to please a nice or cultivated taste; nice; fine; elegant; as, a delicate dish; delicate flavor.
Delicate
Slight and shapely; lovely; graceful; as, "a delicate creature."
Delicate
Fine or slender; minute; not coarse; - said of a thread, or the like; as, delicate cotton.
Delicate
Slight or smooth; light and yielding; - said of texture; as, delicate lace or silk.
Delicate
Soft and fair; - said of the skin or a surface; as, a delicate cheek; a delicate complexion.
Delicate
Light, or softly tinted; - said of a color; as, a delicate blue.
Delicate
Refined; gentle; scrupulous not to trespass or offend; considerate; - said of manners, conduct, or feelings; as, delicate behavior; delicate attentions; delicate thoughtfulness.
Delicate
Tender; not able to endure hardship; feeble; frail; effeminate; - said of constitution, health, etc.; as, a delicate child; delicate health.
A delicate and tender prince.
Delicate
Requiring careful handling; not to be rudely or hastily dealt with; nice; critical; as, a delicate subject or question.
There are some things too delicate and too sacred to be handled rudely without injury to truth.
Delicate
Of exacting tastes and habits; dainty; fastidious.
Delicate
Nicely discriminating or perceptive; refinedly critical; sensitive; exquisite; as, a delicate taste; a delicate ear for music.
Delicate
Affected by slight causes; showing slight changes; as, a delicate thermometer.
Delicate
A choice dainty; a delicacy.
With abstinence all delicates he sees.
Delicate
A delicate, luxurious, or effeminate person.
All the vessels, then, which our delicates have, - those I mean that would seem to be more fine in their houses than their neighbors, - are only of the Corinth metal.
Delicate
Exquisitely fine and subtle and pleasing; susceptible to injury;
A delicate violin passage
Delicate china
A delicate flavor
The delicate wing of a butterfly
Delicate
Marked by great skill especially in meticulous technique;
A surgeon's delicate touch
Delicate
Easily broken or damaged or destroyed;
A kite too delicate to fly safely
Fragile porcelain plates
Fragile old bones
A frail craft
Delicate
Easily hurt;
Soft hands
A baby's delicate skin
Delicate
Developed with extreme delicacy and subtlety;
The satire touches with finespun ridicule every kind of human pretense
Delicate
Difficult to handle; requiring great tact;
Delicate negotiations with the big powers
Hesitates to be explicit on so ticklish a matter
Delicate
Of an instrument or device; capable of registering minute differences or changes precisely;
Almost undetectable with even the most delicate instruments
Common Curiosities
Can a person be described as delicate?
Yes, a person can be described as delicate, often meaning refined or sensitive.
What does fragile mean?
Fragile describes something easily broken or damaged.
Are all fragile items delicate?
Many fragile items are also delicate, but not all delicate items are necessarily fragile.
Can something be delicate but not fragile?
Yes, something can be delicate (like a situation) without being physically fragile.
Is fragility always physical?
No, fragility can also refer to emotional states or ecosystems.
Can mental health be fragile?
Yes, mental health can be described as fragile, meaning it's vulnerable and needs care.
What does delicate mean?
Delicate refers to something requiring careful handling, often due to intricacy or fineness.
Is it correct to label a package as 'fragile'?
Yes, labeling a package as 'fragile' indicates it contains breakable items.
Can emotions be delicate?
Yes, emotions or situations can be described as delicate, meaning they require careful handling.
How do you handle delicate items?
Delicate items should be handled with care and attention to detail.
Are fragile ecosystems important?
Yes, fragile ecosystems are important and often require protection and conservation.
Do delicate tasks require skill?
Yes, delicate tasks often require skill, precision, and careful execution.
Can food have a delicate flavor?
Yes, food can have a delicate flavor, meaning it's subtle and not overpowering.
Is fragility a negative trait?
Fragility is not inherently negative but denotes vulnerability or susceptibility to damage.
Is delicate jewelry durable?
Delicate jewelry can be durable if treated with care.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
