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 Leaving it on too long can leave brows brittle or over-processed, and the skin around the brow bone can react if the formula migrates. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 30 June 2026 If the seals fail or materials become brittle and shatter under the thermal shock, the entire mission is at risk. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 30 June 2026 Historically, a spoonful of cod liver oil was administered to treat children with rickets, a disease caused by vitamin D deficiency that results in brittle bones. — Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 29 June 2026 Or that Penélope Cruz’s sultry chilliness would jibe with either her male counterparts or Wilde’s diary-of-a-mad-housewife interpretation of a brittle, eager-to-impress woman brimming with creative frustration. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for brittle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for brittle

Adjective

Consider pairing yielding fruits like nectarines with crisper specimens like apples, even softer fruits like bananas or cherimoya or crunchier additions like passionfruit pulp or shreds of coconut.

— Cooking Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
That simple, understated design feels like the perfect match for the PV5, a very clean design in its own right defined by crisp lines and simple shapes throughout.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 July 2026

Definition of crisp

Adjective

Alaska is a state of pure beauty—a vast, beautiful destination filled with icy fjords and snowy peaks.

— Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 July 2026
More crucially, it was used during a sequence set along an icy river while George Washington is traversing the uncharted Ohio Territory wilderness.

— Brian Welk, IndieWire, 7 July 2026

Definition of icy

Adjective

Meanwhile Karl Lagerfeld designed exquisite Weimar Kabaret-ish costumes (these ultimately proved too fragile to attach Madonna's monitoring system to.

— Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 5 July 2026
Gas prices ease as economic anxiety lingers Gas prices have dropped sharply in the weeks since the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran, surprising analysts who had warned drivers could be in for a summer of soaring fuel costs.

— David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 4 July 2026

Definition of fragile

Adjective

Keep your ride clean Over the life of owning a car, especially in colder areas, salt and road grime can dull paint and cause rust on the underbody of your vehicles, according to Consumer Reports.

— Keith Laing, USA Today, 8 July 2026
The clinical home ecosystem has become the defining phrase of the 2025 to 2026 wellness spending cycle, as buyers stack cold plunges, red light beds and neurotech into serious at-home recovery setups.

— Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2026

Definition of cold

Adjective

Other produce like tomatoes have also had massive price increases because of a frigid winter combined with tariffs and diesel costs.

— Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
McGinley photographed models cavorting naked (always naked) through sand dunes in the Mojave Desert and pine forests in Vermont, in a frigid ice cave in upstate New York and perched above a rushing waterfall in Tennessee.

— Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 4 July 2026

Definition of frigid

Adjective

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
However, the fragile and friable nature of aged amber likely posed a significant challenge to its removal.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Mar. 2026

Definition of friable

Adjective

Flemings, like Peterson a one-and-done player in college, had 14 points on chilly 4-of-16 shooting.

— Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 5 July 2026
Then the movie ended, and someone flicked the lights, and people wiped their faces and checked their apps and the door opened for a chilly evening breeze.

— The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 July 2026

Definition of chilly

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“Brittle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brittle. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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