infirm[adjective]Synonyms: frail, ailing, debilitated, decrepit, doddering, enfeebled, failing, feeble, weak
Antonyms: hale
English Thesaurus: weak, frail, shaky, puny, feeble, ... [TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲
in‧firm /ɪnˈfɜːm $ -ɜːrm/
adjective [
Word Family: noun:
firmness,
infirmity, the infirm;
adjective:
firm,
infirm;
adverb:
firmly]
1. weak or ill for a long time, especially because you are old:
Her grandmother is elderly and infirm.2. the infirm people who are weak or ill for a long time, especially because they are old:
The hotel is on a hill, which is not ideal for the infirm. [TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲
weak not physically strong, sometimes because you are ill:
Tom’s had flu and he’s still feeling weak. The doctors said she was too weak to have an operation. He suffered constantly from a weak chest.frail weak and thin, especially because you are old:
a frail 85-year-old lady My grandfather’s becoming quite frail now.shaky feeling weak in your legs and only able to walk slowly and unsteadily:
When I came out of hospital I was a bit shaky for a while.puny /ˈpjuːni/
especially disapproving small, thin, and looking very weak:
his puny white arms He was a puny little boy who was often bullied at school.feeble especially written weak and unable to do much because you are very ill, very old or young:
For a week she was too feeble to get out of bed. a tiny, feeble babydelicate weak and often becoming ill easily:
a delicate child She had rather a delicate constitution (=her body easily became ill).infirm formal weak or ill for a long time, especially because you are old:
a residential home for people who are elderly and infirm There are special facilities for wheelchair users and infirm guests.malnourished formal weak or ill because you have not had enough good food to eat:
Half a million people there are severely malnourished. The organization provides emergency feeding for malnourished children.fragile made of a thin material that is easy to break or damage – used when something needs to be handled carefully:
a fragile china vase Be careful of those glasses – they’re very fragile.flimsy not well-made from strong materials and so easily damaged – used about furniture, houses etc:
a flimsy plastic table This keyboard’s very cheap but it’s a bit flimsy.rickety /ˈrɪkəti, ˈrɪkɪti/ in very bad condition and likely to break – used about a building, piece of furniture, vehicle etc:
a rickety old bicycle He lived in a rickety hut on the beach for several years. [TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲