delicate
adjective (EASILY DAMAGED) /ˈdel.ɪ.kət/Definition
B2 needing careful treatment, especially because easily damaged: Peaches have delicate skins which are easily bruised. Delicate plants need to be kept in a greenhouse during the winter. delicate china Molly's health has always been delicate (= she becomes ill easily).Fragile and breakable C1 needing to be done carefully: Repairing damaged nerves is a very delicate operation/process.Fragile and breakable delicately /-li/ adverb › I thought you handled the situation very delicately (= in a way that avoided causing offence). The pudding was delicately flavoured with vanilla.Fragile and breakableCausing pleasure
(Definition of delicate adjective (EASILY DAMAGED) from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus
© Cambridge University Press)
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You are looking at an entry to do with Fragile and breakable, but you might be interested in these topics from the Breaking and damaging topic area:
- Damaging and spoiling
- Destroying and demolishing
- Deteriorating and making worse
- Exploding and erupting
- Hitting against objects accidentally and colliding
- Hitting and beating
- In bad condition
- Injuring and injuries
- Scratching and rubbing
- Squeezing and grinding
- Tearing and breaking into pieces
- Undamaged, unbroken or in good condition
- Upsetting and destabilizing
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SMART Thesaurus
Synonyms and related words:
- breakable adjective
- brittle adjective (EASILY BROKEN)
- crumbly adjective
- delicacy noun (BEING EASILY DAMAGED)
- delicate adjective (ACCURATE)
- delicate adjective (DIFFICULT)
- dodgy adjective (NOT RELIABLE)
- fissile adjective
- flaky adjective (SMALL PIECE)
- flimsy adjective (THIN)
- fragile adjective
- frail adjective
- friable adjective
- ramshackle adjective
- rickety adjective
- tenuous adjective
Topic:
Fragile and breakable
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