Synonyms of frangible

frangible

adjective

ˈfran-jə-bəl 

as in fragile

easily broken

frangible china teacups that were totally inappropriate for a child's birthday party

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fragile
• brittle
• delicate
• breakable
• frail
• fine
• tenuous
• weak
• friable
• flimsy
• short
• soft
• gossamer
• feeble
• flaky
• shaky
• inelastic
• dainty
• slight
• crumbly
• crushable
• crisp
• infirm
• embrittled
• inflexible
• spindly
• tender
• flakey
• eggshell
• crispy
• stiff
• shivery

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• strong
• sturdy
• unbreakable
• tough
• solid
• rigid
• substantial
• hard
• infrangible
• compact
• unyielding
• firm
• nonbreakable
• elastic
• flexible
• resilient
• supple
• springy
• rubbery
• stretch
• rubberlike
• stretchable

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective frangible contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of frangible are brittle, crisp, fragile, and friable. While all these words mean "breaking easily," frangible implies susceptibility to being broken without implying weakness or delicacy.

frangible stone used for paving

When would brittle be a good substitute for frangible?

The meanings of brittle and frangible largely overlap; however, brittle implies hardness together with lack of elasticity or flexibility or toughness.

brittle bones

When is it sensible to use crisp instead of frangible?

In some situations, the words crisp and frangible are roughly equivalent. However, crisp implies a firmness and brittleness desirable especially in some foods.

crisp lettuce

When can fragile be used instead of frangible?

The synonyms fragile and frangible are sometimes interchangeable, but fragile implies extreme delicacy of material or construction and need for careful handling.

a fragile antique chair

When could friable be used to replace frangible?

Although the words friable and frangible have much in common, friable applies to substances that are easily crumbled or pulverized.

friable soil

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of frangible

Japanese officials confirmed that localizer structures near runways were sufficiently frangible. —Grace Moon, New York Times, 1 May 2025

The barrier at the edge of the runway at Muan International Airport did not appear to be frangible, or have the ability to break apart, according to video footage and expert analysis, something investigators are likely to focus on. —Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 30 Dec. 2024

Solid fences are safer today thanks to safety features like frangible pins and MIM clips that make a fence fall or collapse when hit. —Olivia Hampton, NPR, 5 June 2024

If the boat does not stop, the Interceptor pulls alongside and the agent fires with disintegrating frangible ammunition into the boat’s engine. —New York Times, 28 Jan. 2021

Nagel pumped the shotgun and chambered the first frangible round. —New York Times, 28 Jan. 2021

At 1,000 metres, a frangible bolt—which was supposed to detach explosively in the event of power loss to shed weight—broke off. —The Economist, 6 Sep. 2019

Now the team, led by Professor of Computer Vision Paul Rosin, is asking for more texts too fragile to be opened, hoping to ease the burden on historical researchers hesitant to examine the frangible objects. —Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, 4 Oct. 2018

Details needed to be worked out, such as a requirement that school guns fire only frangible bullets, which break apart into small pieces and are unlikely to pass through victims, as a way to limit the danger to innocent students. —Todd C. Frankel, Washington Post, 19 May 2018