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 But the true shocker from this entire process is how my hair survived relatively unscathed (...save for a few brittle ends). — Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 11 Mar. 2025 Season 3 finds the brittle sanity of Navajo Tribal policeman Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon, still deserving of an Emmy) eroding in the aftermath of the death of B.J. Vines (John Diehl) — a fateful figure with ties to his family. — Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 7 Mar. 2025 Carol is brittle and reserved, but Blanchett is its resilient heart. — Tim Grierson, Vulture, 15 Mar. 2025 The ivy on the wall behind the pool was brittle and charred, rubble littered the deck, and the water shone like a black mirror. — Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 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
  • For the best night’s sleep of your life, spend some time breathing in the crisp mountain air (maybe hike to one of the nearby alpine lakes) and book a stay at PostHotel Leavenworth.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Also, the leaves should be crisp and green rather than brown or yellow.
    — Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of crisp
Adjective
  • Her makeup, too, was equally icy, with a metallic silvery-white shadow brushed under her brow as a highlight and dramatic black eyeliner winged all the way out to the outer corner of her brows, plus a pair of light blue-gray contacts enhanced by majorly fluttery, lush lashes.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 9 Dec. 2024
  • White cautioned those traveling north of Indianapolis this weekend, however, should be mindful of potentially snowier, icier road conditions.
    — Christopher Cann, The Indianapolis Star, 27 Nov. 2024
Definition of icy
Adjective
  • Using a fork, cut in butter until flour mixture is crumbly.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2025
  • The soup came with a side of crunchy tortilla chips fried in beef tallow, diced onions, chillies and crumbly cheese.
    — Kim Bojórquez, Axios, 21 Feb. 2025
Definition of crumbly
Adjective
  • But the weather is expected to be cold and rainy in Chicago.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Mar. 2025
  • The nights are cold still, though bundling up is certainly an option.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Definition of cold
Adjective
  • Newborn caterpillars are too fragile to endure the sort of violent conflicts observed in other territorial animals, from ants to elephants, which can be deadly.
    — Becky Ferreira, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
  • For those with fragile hair, Philip Kingsley’s fortifying shampoo aims to give the appearance of thicker, stronger strands.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of fragile
Adjective
  • Some forecasters said a rebound was likely following the adverse effects of frigid weather and worker strikes on payrolls in January and February.
    — Paul Davidson, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Read Next National Man’s death in frigid jail cell ruled homicide.
    — Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of frigid
Adjective
  • The group’s music and imagery spoke to him, but so did the tale of Morrison’s short, tumultuous life and, especially, his death, which has always been shrouded in some mystery.
    — Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2025
  • The short float is 5.64%, a higher metric than the others listed here.
    — John Navin, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Definition of short
Adjective
  • The Yankees suffered their second consecutive loss on Wednesday, falling to Arizona, 4-3, on a chilly night in the Bronx.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 3 Apr. 2025
  • And while hot summer days give the grapes more tropical flavors, chilly nights trap some contrasting acidity under their skins.
    — Benjy Egel, Sacbee.com, 3 Apr. 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 12 Apr. 2025.

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