Synonyms of brittle

brittle

adjective

ˈbri-tᵊl 

1

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

• crisp
• fragile
• crumbly
• friable
• crisped
• flaky
• short
• crispy
• embrittled
• brickle
• delicate
• crunchy
• crusty
• crackly
• breakable
• crispened

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• elastic
• flexible
• resilient
• pliable
• strong
• tough
• pliant
• sturdy

2

as in icy

lacking in friendliness or warmth of feeling

a brittle apology that was anything but heartfelt

Synonyms & Similar Words

• icy
• cold
• frigid
• chilly
• cool
• clammy
• frozen
• chill
• arctic
• frosty
• reserved
• detached
• glacial
• unfriendly
• wintry
• unsympathetic
• gelid
• antiseptic
• hard-eyed
• coldish
• uncordial
• cold-eyed
• pitiless
• uncaring
• unresponsive
• cold-blooded
• heartless
• unfeeling
• unemotional
• soulless
• undemonstrative
• hard-hearted
• unenthusiastic
• bloodless
• aloof
• apathetic
• uninterested
• indifferent
• impersonal
• coldhearted
• kindless
• dispassionate
• antisocial
• standoffish
• unsociable
• offish
• unsocial

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• warm
• friendly
• sympathetic
• happy
• cordial
• kind
• hearty
• genial
• emotional
• expressive
• compassionate
• warm-blooded
• demonstrative
• warmhearted
• eager
• enthusiastic
• kindhearted
• passionate

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

Recent Examples of brittle

While brittle Christina rolls her eyes at being stuck with an analog guy to cover Big Tech, Jeff’s editor Andy (Gbenga Akinnagbe) is a far more chill ally. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026

Poor provenance leads to weak training assumptions, brittle behavior, eroded trust, more friction and slower deployment, with each turn deepening the problem rather than correcting it. — Richard Clough, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Mid-twenty-first-century China could end up looking a lot like the sixteenth-century Ming dynasty, a sclerotic political regime rendered increasingly brittle by worsening social, gender, and generational divides. — Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026

Sand-like granules collecting in gutters, curling or missing shingles, brittle or cracking shingles, sagging sections and indoor leaks or ceiling stains are the standard indicators that a roof is failing. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026