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
• crumbly
• fragile
• short
• friable
• flaky
• crisped
• crispy
• flakey
• 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
• detached
• reserved
• glacial
• unfriendly
• wintry
• unsympathetic
• gelid
• antiseptic
• wintery
• hard-eyed
• coldish
• uncordial
• cold-eyed
• pitiless
• uncaring
• unresponsive
• cold-blooded
• heartless
• unfeeling
• unemotional
• soulless
• undemonstrative
• hard-hearted
• coldhearted
• unenthusiastic
• bloodless
• aloof
• apathetic
• uninterested
• indifferent
• impersonal
• 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

Instead, all eyes were on whether U.S. President Donald Trump would make the journey across the Atlantic, the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East under Iranian fire and whether the brittle ceasefire between Iran and Israel would hold. —Ellie Cook — Reporting From The Hague, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025

Those brittle columns or the failure of a slab-beam-column joint in the southeast part of the tower, close to the pool deck, could have been the cause of the collapse. —Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 24 June 2025

Some are also spiked with nourishing ingredients like conditioning glycerin and shine-enhancing antioxidants to target brittle texture, lackluster finishes, and itchiness. —Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 18 June 2025

Too often, however, the systems behind it are brittle—swelling during periods of hypergrowth and collapsing under the weight of a downturn. —Kehinde Fawumi, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025