brittle: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1neutral (used in both formal and informal contexts)
Quick answer
What does “brittle” mean?
hard but easily broken or snapped.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
hard but easily broken or snapped; lacking flexibility or resilience
describes something fragile in physical form, or metaphorically describes relationships, emotions, or systems that are tense, fragile, or unstable
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Slight preference for 'brittle' over 'crisp' for certain foods (e.g., biscuits) in UK English. The verb form 'brittle' (to become brittle) is extremely rare in both.
Connotations
Identical core meaning. In metaphorical use (e.g., 'brittle smile'), equally common.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “brittle” in a Sentence
BE + brittleBECOME/GO + brittlebrittle + WITH + age/stressbrittle + nounVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “brittle” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The old rubber seals had brittled with age and exposure.
- (Note: Extremely rare/archaic)
American English
- The plastic had brittled after years in the sun.
- (Note: Extremely rare/technical)
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form. Use 'in a brittle way/manner')
American English
- (No standard adverbial form. Use 'in a brittle fashion')
adjective
British English
- The dry autumn leaves were crisp and brittle underfoot.
- Her brittle manner made conversation difficult.
American English
- The peanut brittle candy shattered when I tried to break it.
- There was a brittle tension in the conference room.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphorical: 'The company's financial position is looking increasingly brittle.'
Academic
Technical/Descriptive: 'The brittle fracture of the ceramic was analyzed under electron microscopy.'
Everyday
Literal: 'Be careful with that ornament, it's very brittle.'
Technical
Material Science/Engineering: 'The alloy exhibits brittle failure at low temperatures.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “brittle”
- Using 'brittle' for liquids or soft things (incorrect). Confusing with 'bristle' (to react angrily). Incorrect: 'The jelly was brittle.' Correct: 'The toffee was brittle.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Brittle' implies hardness combined with a lack of flexibility, leading to sudden breakage (e.g., glass, old plastic). 'Fragile' is broader, meaning easily broken, often delicate (e.g., a china cup, a butterfly's wing). 'Crisp' often describes a pleasant, firm brittleness that breaks cleanly, especially in food (e.g., crisp apple, crisp bacon).
Yes, metaphorically. It describes someone who appears tense, emotionally fragile, or easily upset, often masking this with a rigid exterior (e.g., 'a brittle personality', 'she seemed cheerful but her voice was brittle').
It is a mid-frequency word (C1 level). Very common in technical fields (materials science, medicine) and fairly common in general writing, especially for metaphorical descriptions of tense situations or fragile states.
It is a hard, flat candy confection, common in the US and UK, made from peanuts embedded in caramelised sugar that sets into a solid, brittle sheet.
hard but easily broken or snapped.
Brittle is usually neutral (used in both formal and informal contexts) in register.
Brittle: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbrɪtl̩/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbrɪdl̩/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “brittle as glass”
- “have a brittle temper”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BRITtle biscuit – a British biscuit that's hard but snaps easily.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTIONAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL STATES ARE PHYSICAL MATERIALS (e.g., a brittle personality, a brittle truce).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the use of 'brittle' MOST appropriate?