BRITTLE Synonyms: 91 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

brittle

adjective

ˈbri-tᵊl

Definition of brittle

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Poor water quality can worsen eczema, psoriasis, flaky skin, and brittle hair, among other problems. — Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Sep. 2026 Mulligan’s Lindsay is brittle, entitled and frequently cruel, giving the actress the chance to deliver scathing rejoinders and self-deluded justifications, all with a deep reservoir of personal disappointment. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026 That converts execution from brittle screen-scraping into a clean engineering problem. — Oleg Nesterov, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 That air of discontent is ramped up when Ray’s two sisters descend on the house for a brittle family reunion. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for brittle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for brittle

Adjective

The silverware and crisp cotton napkins are paired with cheerful local ceramic tableware.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026
Heels completed the look, with glam including dark touches to contrast the crisp white of Cameron’s bridal suit moment.

— Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of crisp

Adjective

The dinner capped a long, but friendly, day of meetings and celebrations, as the world’s two most powerful leaders seek to settle trade differences while simultaneously thawing the icy relationship between the United States and China.

— Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2026
Her icy-gray tresses were elegant yet effortless, but ask any woman who’s ever let her grays grow in — the process is anything but.

— Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of icy

Adjective

Projections suggest that if the epidemic continues at its current pace, 25,000 people in Fiji will be living with HIV by 2029, figures that Soqo says would push Fiji's fragile health system to the brink of collapse.

— David Cox, NPR, 26 Sep. 2026
Dry cleaners have access to solvents and techniques that can safely remove wax and stains without damaging fragile fibers.

— Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of fragile

Adjective

Yes; there are spa treatments as well as a sauna, cold plunge, and hot tub circuit rooted in a traditional Ahousaht bathing ritual.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Sep. 2026
So much of the last season with Charlie [Hunnam] was Charlie [as Ed Gein] in a barn or in a cold house talking to himself.

— Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of cold

Adjective

The organic matter was synthesized early, likely out in the frigid outer reaches of the Solar System.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026
That’s a goal worth keeping in mind as the shifting Western alliance navigates global challenges, even in the frigid north.

— the Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of frigid

Adjective

The soil is peat dark, friable, and gravid with potatoes, onions, sugar beet, lettuce, maize, and wheat that moves in dry, whispering sheets.

— Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 July 2026
The second bottle, with confetti-ish contents, was equally useless—whatever had been inside had broken down into a friable mess.

— Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2026

Definition of friable

Adjective

The first is a strong area of high pressure over eastern Canada that’s sending crisp and chilly air to the Northeast.

— Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026
One side effect of this is a new distance from OpenAI, in addition to its existing chilly relationship with Anthropic, and from the growing number of AI employees in Silicon Valley who also support the calls for a slowdown.

— Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of chilly

Browse Nearby Words

britches

brittle

brittleness

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“Brittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brittle. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of brittle

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