Delicate vs. Fragile — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Delicate and Fragile
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Definitions
Delicate
Very fine in texture or structure; of intricate workmanship or quality
A delicate lace shawl
Fragile
Easily broken, damaged, or destroyed.
Delicate
Easily broken or damaged; fragile
Delicate china
Fragile
Lacking physical or emotional strength; delicate
A fragile personality.
Delicate
Requiring sensitive or careful handling
Delicate negotiations
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Fragile
Lacking substance; tenuous or flimsy
A fragile claim to fame.
Delicate
A delicate fabric or garment
The delicates cycle of a washing machine
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
Pleasing to the senses, especially in a subtle way
A delicate flavor.
A delicate violin passage.
Fragile
(UK) Feeling weak or easily disturbed as a result of illness.
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Delicate
Easily broken or damaged
A kite too delicate to fly.
Fragile
(UK) Thin-skinned or oversensitive.
He is a very fragile person and gets easily depressed.
Delicate
Exquisitely fine or dainty
Delicate china.
Fragile
Something that is fragile.
Delicate
Frail in constitution or health.
Fragile
Easily broken; brittle; frail; delicate; easily destroyed.
The state of ivy is tough, and not fragile.
Delicate
Marked by sensitivity of discrimination
A critic's delicate perception.
Fragile
Easily broken or damaged or destroyed;
A kite too delicate to fly safely
Fragile porcelain plates
Fragile old bones
A frail craft
Delicate
Very subtle in difference or distinction.
Fragile
Vulnerably delicate;
She has the fragile beauty of youth
Delicate
Having or showing great consideration or care
Delicate remarks concerning the scandal.
Fragile
Lacking solidity or strength;
A flimsy table
Flimsy construction
A fragile link with the past
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
