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
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
But even then, their strength is brittle.
—
John Hope Bryant, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
The brittle, eco-friendly bamboo straw is another concession to the community, as are the splinters.
—Joe Joyce, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
Deficiency symptoms may include thinning hair, skin rashes, or brittle nails.
—Julie Scott, Verywell Health, 2 Sep. 2025
That leaves it friendless, brittle, and uncreative—and, paradoxically, that leaves it vulnerable when fighting, too.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brittle
John Hope Bryant, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
The brittle, eco-friendly bamboo straw is another concession to the community, as are the splinters.
—Joe Joyce, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
Deficiency symptoms may include thinning hair, skin rashes, or brittle nails.
—Julie Scott, Verywell Health, 2 Sep. 2025
That leaves it friendless, brittle, and uncreative—and, paradoxically, that leaves it vulnerable when fighting, too.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brittle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brittle
Adjective
-
Public markets are again rewarding crisp underwriting, cleaner unit economics, and a credible path to sustainable earnings.—
Pam Kaur,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
And there in front of us on a platform were these beautiful women in crisp uniforms with makeup and lipstick and blonde, long hair and these SS men, young men, strong and well fed…laughing…having a great time.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
And these cars tend to be driven in fair weather, not on icy roads.—
Josh Max,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Just last year, scientists announced the news that New Horizons found the Kuiper Belt—a vast outer zone of hundreds of thousands of small, icy worlds beyond the orbit of Neptune—might extend much farther out than previously thought.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Chunks of Wagyu beef short rib served with smoky awaze sauce and a crumbly cheese called ayib speak to the city’s Ethiopian community, the largest in America.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The drink features cold brew coffee, oat milk, and pumpkin pie syrup topped with cold foam, caramel sauce, and a crumbly graham cracker topping.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Charlie Kirk didn't deserve to be killed in cold blood.—
Newsweek Contributors,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
After all, who wants to wake up on a crisp winter morning to their feet on cold hardwood?—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
If even a crude silent gesture has drawn constitutional protection, fragile egos don’t justify a gag.—
Eric Preven,
Oc Register,
19 Sep. 2025
-
The current reliance on a nearly 30-year-old spacecraft highlights just how fragile our space weather monitoring network has become.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The most numerous of the three, the Chilean Flamingo, also lives at sea level, all the way to the frigid, extreme south of the continent.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Conditions were frigid, with wind chills of minus 50 degrees Celsius.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The conglomerate, which often aligns itself with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development goals and controls vast swathes of India’s infrastructure sector, is yet to fully recover from the market value erosion caused by the short seller’s accusations.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
19 Sep. 2025
-
In short, this is a definitive shmup and comes highly recommended.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The autumn equinox marks the formal start of the season in the Northern Hemisphere and the return of chilly temperatures to California.—
Hannah Poukish
September 18,
Sacbee.com,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Threshold Printed Plush Throw This versatile blanket can be draped over accent chairs and sofas or used as a warm layer on a bed or for chilly fall nights outside.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brittle. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share