brittle

brittle

adjective

Definition of BRITTLE

1

having a texture that readily breaks into little pieces under pressure <a brittle cracker that turned into crumbs in my pocket>

Synonyms brickle [dialect], brittle, crispy, crumbly, embrittled, flaky (also flakey), friable, short

Related Words crackly, crisped, crispened, crunchy, crusty; breakable, delicate, fragile

Near Antonyms elastic, flexible, pliable, pliant, resilient; strong, sturdy, tough

2

lacking in friendliness or warmth of feeling <a brittle apology that was anything but heartfelt>

Synonyms antiseptic, arctic, brittle, chill, chilly, clammy, cold-blooded, cold-eyed, coldish, cool, frigid, frosty, frozen, gelid, glacial, hard-eyed, icy, unfriendly, unsympathetic, wintry (also wintery)

Related Words bloodless, coldhearted, hard-hearted, heartless, kindless, pitiless, uncaring, unfeeling; reserved, soulless, undemonstrative, unemotional, unresponsive; apathetic, indifferent, unenthusiastic, uninterested; aloof, detached, dispassionate, impersonal, offish, standoffish; antisocial, unsociable, unsocial

Near Antonyms compassionate, kind, kindhearted; demonstrative, emotional, expressive; eager, enthusiastic, passionate

Antonyms cordial, friendly, genial, happy, hearty, sympathetic, warm, warm-blooded, warmhearted