Frailty is the condition of being weak, delicate, or easily broken. An elderly person who has trouble walking or lifting things experiences physical frailty: their body has become more fragile with age. A sapling bending in strong wind shows frailty compared to an old oak tree with deep roots.

The word often describes physical weakness, but it can also describe weakness of character or will. When someone gives in to temptation too easily, or can't stick to their principles when tested, that's a kind of frailty too. A person might show frailty by breaking a promise when keeping it becomes difficult, or by going along with something wrong because standing up feels too hard.

Frailty carries a sense of sympathy rather than contempt. Unlike words like “cowardice,” frailty suggests an understandable human limitation. We all have frailties: moments when we're not as strong, brave, or steadfast as we'd like to be. Recognizing your own frailties is part of growing up, whether that means admitting you need help carrying something heavy or acknowledging that peer pressure sometimes affects your choices. The opposite of frailty is strength or resilience: the ability to withstand pressure, difficulty, or temptation without breaking.