brittle

[ brit-l ]

adjective

, brit·tler, brit·tlest.

1. having hardness and rigidity but little tensile strength; breaking readily with a comparatively smooth fracture, as glass.

   Synonyms: fragile

2. easily damaged or destroyed; fragile; frail:

   a brittle marriage.

3. lacking warmth, sensitivity, or compassion; aloof; self-centered:

   a self-possessed, cool, and rather brittle person.

4. having a sharp, tense quality:

   a brittle tone of voice.

5. unstable or impermanent; evanescent.

noun

1. a confection of melted sugar, usually with nuts, brittle when cooled:

   peanut brittle.

verb (used without object)

, brit·tled, brit·tling.

1. to be or become brittle; crumble.

brittle

/ ˈbrɪtəl /

adjective

1. easily cracked, snapped, or broken; fragile
2. curt or irritable

   a brittle reply

3. hard or sharp in quality

noun

1. a crunchy sweet made with treacle and nuts

   peanut brittle

brittle

/ brĭt′l /

1. Having a tendency to break when subject to high stress. Brittle materials have undergone very little strain when they reach their elastic limit, and tend to break at that limit.
2. Compare ductile

Derived Forms

• ˈbrittlely, adverb

Other Words From

• brittle·ness noun
• un·brittle adjective
• un·brittle·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of brittle¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English britel, equivalent to brit- (akin to Old English brysten “fragment”) + -el adjective suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of brittle¹

C14: from Old English brytel (unattested); related to brytsen fragment, brēotan to break

Synonym Study

See frail ¹.

Example Sentences

He said he would “revert water up into the hills where you have all the dead forests, where the forests are so brittle” in order to prevent wildfires.

From Los Angeles Times

He would be short, could have facial abnormalities, maybe brittle bones and there was a 50% chance that he would be stillborn.

From BBC

Authoritarian, narcissistic leaders like Trump are profoundly brittle.

From Salon

The former president said he would “revert water up into the hills where you have all the dead forests, where the forests are so brittle” in order to prevent wildfires.

From Los Angeles Times

Rather than being able to literally divert water to an intended source — like a farm or a “brittle” forest — a president can try to influence water allocations more indirectly, like appointing like-minded people to federal agencies to weaken endangered species laws that affect flow, said Sonja Petek, an analyst for the nonpartisan California Legislative Analyst’s Office who focuses on water and wildlife policy.

From Los Angeles Times