Definition of brittlenext

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 Leaving it on too long can leave brows brittle or over-processed, and the skin around the brow bone can react if the formula migrates. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 30 June 2026 If the seals fail or materials become brittle and shatter under the thermal shock, the entire mission is at risk. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 30 June 2026 Historically, a spoonful of cod liver oil was administered to treat children with rickets, a disease caused by vitamin D deficiency that results in brittle bones. Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 29 June 2026 Or that Penélope Cruz’s sultry chilliness would jibe with either her male counterparts or Wilde’s diary-of-a-mad-housewife interpretation of a brittle, eager-to-impress woman brimming with creative frustration. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for brittle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brittle
Adjective
  • In the clips, Styles, 32, appeared out of one of the stadium's entrances, while sporting a white long-sleeve top, athletic shorts and crisp white trainers.
    Ilana Kaplan, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
  • Brut Champagne gives the drink its backbone—its acidity stays crisp against the other players, keeping the drink focused and bright.
    Joe Sevier, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 July 2026
Adjective
  • Multiple moons in the outer solar system — Saturn's Enceladus and Jupiter's Europa, for example — host big liquid-water oceans beneath their icy shells.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 3 July 2026
  • From aqua suede to icy satin, from stilettos to ballet flats and beach-ready sandals, whatever your bridal style calls, for there’s a pair of blue shoes to match.
    Rosie Jarman, Vogue, 2 July 2026
Adjective
  • Meanwhile Karl Lagerfeld designed exquisite Weimar Kabaret-ish costumes (these ultimately proved too fragile to attach Madonna's monitoring system to.
    Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 5 July 2026
  • Gas prices ease as economic anxiety lingers Gas prices have dropped sharply in the weeks since the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran, surprising analysts who had warned drivers could be in for a summer of soaring fuel costs.
    David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 4 July 2026
Adjective
  • Next to him, the waters of Lincoln’s Sinking Spring still ran cold.
    Chris Kenning, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • If time doesn’t allow for spa treatments, a morning swim in the indoor pool accompanied by a sauna and cold plunge in one of their two thermal suites might suffice.
    Katie Kelly Bell, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Adjective
  • But for foods that are more crumbly and less stain-y, Miss Manners finds leather (or a stain-resistant slippery equivalent) a helpful material for getting things to slide right to the floor.
    Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 27 June 2026
  • Banana peels break down into a rich, crumbly compost packed with potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium that roses love.
    Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 20 June 2026
Adjective
  • But experts say the optimal temperatures are far from frigid.
    Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • But that’s not how exhaustion typically works during a seventeen-hour climb in frigid weather.
    William Finnegan, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Adjective
  • The second bottle, with confetti-ish contents, was equally useless—whatever had been inside had broken down into a friable mess.
    Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2026
  • However, the fragile and friable nature of aged amber likely posed a significant challenge to its removal.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Flemings, like Peterson a one-and-done player in college, had 14 points on chilly 4-of-16 shooting.
    Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 5 July 2026
  • Then the movie ended, and someone flicked the lights, and people wiped their faces and checked their apps and the door opened for a chilly evening breeze.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Brittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brittle. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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