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

Examples of brittle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Both formulas feature moisturizing argan oil to plump dry, brittle strands. Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 9 Oct. 2024 Continents will expand and contract more violently, making the land brittle, and setting into motion a process that is far less spectacular than an asteroid strike but much deadlier. Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2024 Without ample moisture, nails become ultra-dry, brittle, and prone to breakage. Jessie Quinn, People.com, 2 Oct. 2024 Each bottle is formulated to cleanse and moisture without stripping hair of moisture or weighing strands down. amika Soulfood Nourishing Mask (Jumbo) $55 $47 Amazon Transform limp, brittle hair with a jumbo-size tub of Amika Soulfood. Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 8 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for brittle 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brittle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near brittle

Cite this Entry

“Brittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brittle. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on brittle

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