51³Ō¹Ļ

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View synonyms for

brittle

[brit-l]

adjective

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

    Synonyms:
  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)

brittled, brittling 
  1. to be or become brittle; crumble.

brittle

/ ˈ²ś°łÉŖ³ŁÉ™±ō /

adjective

  1. easily cracked, snapped, or broken; fragile

  2. curt or irritable

    a brittle reply

  3. hard or sharp in quality

ā€œCollins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridgedā€ 2012 Digital Edition Ā© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 Ā© HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a crunchy sweet made with treacle and nuts

    peanut brittle

ā€œCollins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridgedā€ 2012 Digital Edition Ā© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 Ā© HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

brittle

  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

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Other 51³Ō¹Ļ Forms

  • brittleness noun
  • unbrittle adjective
  • unbrittleness noun
  • ˈ²ś°ł¾±³Ł³Ł±ō±š±ō²ā adverb
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51³Ō¹Ļ History and Origins

Origin of brittle1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English britel, equivalent to brit- (akin to Old English brysten ā€œfragmentā€) + -el adjective suffix
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51³Ō¹Ļ History and Origins

Origin of brittle1

C14: from Old English brytel (unattested); related to brytsen fragment, ²ś°łÅ§“dzٲ¹²Ō to break
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Synonym Study

See frail 1.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Times op-ed about his brittle relationship with Wilson, told it far differently, however.

From

So here’s the truth about California native plant landscapes: Without careful planning, they can get a little drab, especially in the summer when many go dormant, brittle and brown.

From

Since extreme temperatures and cosmic rays break down rubber or turn it to a brittle glass, metal alloys and high-performance plastic are chief contenders for airless space tyres.

From

However, exposure to high levels can result in brittle hair, deformed nails and neurological effects.

From

ā€œHe mentioned that he liked the idea of Sinatra having a real humanity to her,ā€ says Nicholson, who in flashbacks is soft and in the story’s present all brittle, escalating fierceness.

From

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Brittenbrittle bone disease