as in brittle
having a texture that readily breaks into little pieces under pressure
sand dollars are friable, so handle them carefully
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Recent Examples of friable
The process of carefully removing the fossil from its rocky entombment involved freeing each fragment from a matrix of friable sediment using fine tools like dental picks and soft brushes, all while battling gusting sea winds and intermittent rain that threatened to compromise the fragile remains.
—
Scott Travers, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
One of the biggest hazards after a fire is friable material, so an Ashbritt personnel keeps the debris wet at all times.
—Uma Raja, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2025
Foods that are rich in seasoning or flavor, like that delectable sweet potato casserole should probably be avoided as should any turkey that is on the bone as these bones are friable and can be easily crushed into sharp shards which can wreak havoc on a GI tract.
—Dr. Devon B. Smith, Baltimore Sun, 21 Nov. 2024
All beds are mulched to prevent water loss and to keep the soil friable.
—Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2024
What is Leaf Mold? Simply put, leaf mold is a valuable soil conditioner that can be made by leaving leaves to decompose into a crumbly, friable mulch or potting ingredient.
—Elizabeth Waddington, Treehugger, 7 Sep. 2023
The hammers fell hard on LeMond’s friable frame.
—Adrienne So, Wired, 14 Sep. 2021
The paper is cheap, friable, the glue impermanent.
—John Warner, chicagotribune.com, 23 Aug. 2021
Does the compost have a dark, friable texture?
—oregonlive, 14 Aug. 2021
Scott Travers, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
One of the biggest hazards after a fire is friable material, so an Ashbritt personnel keeps the debris wet at all times.
—Uma Raja, Sun Sentinel, 6 Feb. 2025
Foods that are rich in seasoning or flavor, like that delectable sweet potato casserole should probably be avoided as should any turkey that is on the bone as these bones are friable and can be easily crushed into sharp shards which can wreak havoc on a GI tract.
—Dr. Devon B. Smith, Baltimore Sun, 21 Nov. 2024
All beds are mulched to prevent water loss and to keep the soil friable.
—Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2024
What is Leaf Mold? Simply put, leaf mold is a valuable soil conditioner that can be made by leaving leaves to decompose into a crumbly, friable mulch or potting ingredient.
—Elizabeth Waddington, Treehugger, 7 Sep. 2023
The hammers fell hard on LeMond’s friable frame.
—Adrienne So, Wired, 14 Sep. 2021
The paper is cheap, friable, the glue impermanent.
—John Warner, chicagotribune.com, 23 Aug. 2021
Does the compost have a dark, friable texture?
—oregonlive, 14 Aug. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for friable
Adjective
-
Aromas of cranberries and mocha; brittle acidity and flavors that include brownies.—
Tom Mullen,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
-
SpaceX is experimenting with metallic tile designs, including one with active cooling, that might be less brittle than the ceramic tiles used elsewhere on the ship.—
Stephen Clark,
Ars Technica,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The collection was wrapped in fabrics such as grisaille, flannel, Prince of Wales, and ultra-soft virgin wool from Loro Piana and Ermenegildo Zegna in contrast to silks from Ratti, crisp duchesse and fluid double satin, and knitwear crafted in Cariaggi cashmere.—
WWD,
WWD,
3 Mar. 2025
-
Whether your goal is to look professional on a business trip or stylish on a girls’ trip, this mini lint roller will keep your clothes looking clean and crisp.—
Genevieve Cepeda,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Mar. 2025
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
Cite this Entry
“Friable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/friable. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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