brittle

adjective

ˈbri-tᵊl How to pronounce brittle (audio)
Definition of brittlenext
1
as in crisp
having a texture that readily breaks into little pieces under pressure a brittle cracker that turned into crumbs in my pocket

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in icy
lacking in friendliness or warmth of feeling a brittle apology that was anything but heartfelt

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective brittle contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of brittle are crisp, fragile, frangible, and friable. While all these words mean "breaking easily," brittle implies hardness together with lack of elasticity or flexibility or toughness.

brittle bones

When could crisp be used to replace brittle?

The synonyms crisp and brittle are sometimes interchangeable, but crisp implies a firmness and brittleness desirable especially in some foods.

crisp lettuce

In what contexts can fragile take the place of brittle?

The meanings of fragile and brittle largely overlap; however, fragile implies extreme delicacy of material or construction and need for careful handling.

a fragile antique chair

When would frangible be a good substitute for brittle?

While the synonyms frangible and brittle are close in meaning, frangible implies susceptibility to being broken without implying weakness or delicacy.

frangible stone used for paving

When might friable be a better fit than brittle?

In some situations, the words friable and brittle are roughly equivalent. However, friable applies to substances that are easily crumbled or pulverized.

friable soil

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of brittle Hepburn’s thorny performance veers away from her typical sparkling ingenue presence toward something more brittle (watching Holly Golightly restrain herself from cursing out a precocious, irritating child delights). —Gráinne O'Hara Belluomo, Footwear News, 26 May 2025 The toddler — whose two pigtails are brittle, a sign of malnutrition — weighs 15 pounds, according to doctors. —Mohammed Jahjouh, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2025 The ceasefire between India and Pakistan is brittle but intact. —Ganesh Rao, CNBC, 15 May 2025 Russian dissidents – most now either in jail or abroad – see Putin as a dictator who has built a brittle system of personal rule reliant on sycophancy and corruption that is leading Russia towards decline and turmoil. —Reuters, CNN Money, 4 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for brittle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brittle
  1. crisp
  2. icy
  3. crumbly
  4. cold
  5. fragile
  6. frigid
  7. short
  8. chilly
Adjective
  • Ask for extra refrigerator pickles on the side, which are crisp, refreshing, and singularly spicy.
    — Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 26 May 2025
  • The overall audio quality doesn't disappoint either with deep bass and crisp highs.
    — Cierra Cowan, PC Magazine, 26 May 2025
Definition of crisp
Adjective
  • Stock tip: Migrate to icier territories… Aston Villa 6/1 Last five results: WLWWW A two-goal deficit to overcome in the Champions League quarter-final return leg against Paris Saint-Germain next week likely spells the end of Villa’s European aspirations.
    — Brett Koremenos, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
  • The relationship between Ye and Cole has been icy for some time.
    — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of icy
Adjective
  • Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
    — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 15 May 2025
  • There is marine sand and sediment, river wash, and alluvium, with pockets of soft, crumbly earth and clay.
    — Paul Caputo, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of crumbly
Adjective
  • The trailer opens with Elizabeth discussing a cold case for the group to look into from May 11, 1973, involving a woman thrown out of a window and onto the street below.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 29 May 2025
  • Aldi may carry kosher items, but the stores don’t have cold and hot deli counters or butchers who customize cuts.
    — Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 29 May 2025
Definition of cold
Adjective
  • Oyun-Erdene warned before the confidence vote that a change in government could threaten Mongolia’s fragile democracy, which only started in the early 1990s after the Soviet Union collapsed.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 3 June 2025
  • That’s where trust can become fragile if leaders start to chase proxies instead of performance.
    — Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
Definition of fragile
Adjective
  • The volcanic plain is on Mars' northern hemisphere far from the planet's frigid poles with access to water sources in the form of shallow ice.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 3 June 2025
  • Could alien microbes frolic in lakes of boiling acid or frigid liquid methane, or float in water droplets in Venus’ upper atmosphere?
    — Daniel Apai, The Conversation, 2 June 2025
Definition of frigid
Adjective
  • The Chiefs will host a media availability Thursday, with a short practice viewing window for which The Star will be in attendance.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2025
  • Each of them plays like a standalone vignette that could make a short film, and as with a short film program made up of multiple stories, some are stronger than others.
    — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 28 May 2025
Definition of short
Adjective
  • In keeping with that theme, rooms have outdoor showers (with heaters for those chilly Utah mornings), a communal patio with Uno cards, a drive-in theater and a food truck dishing out burgers and fries almost every night.
    — DeMarco Williams, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
  • The day was chilly, but the sun shone through the trees.
    — Anna Grace Lee, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Definition of chilly

Browse Nearby Words

britches
brittle
brittleness
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Cite this Entry

“Brittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brittle. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.

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