Word
Definition
n. hard and easily broken into many pieces. You use this to describe things that snap or shatter when they are pressed or pulled.
n. susceptible to fracture or shattering upon deformation rather than undergoing plastic strain. Adjective.
Examples
“The old plastic becomes brittle and snaps easily.”
“Cold weather makes the metal pipes brittle, increasing the risk of sudden leaks during the winter.”
“Materials science distinguishes between tough substances that absorb impact and brittle ones that fail catastrophically without significant prior deformation when subjected to excessive force.”
Examples
simple
“The old plastic becomes brittle and snaps easily.”
contextual
“Cold weather makes the metal pipes brittle, increasing the risk of sudden leaks during the winter.”
complex
“Materials science distinguishes between tough substances that absorb impact and brittle ones that fail catastrophically without significant prior deformation when subjected to excessive force.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “brittle” in context.
Verb
01. become brittle
“If you leave the rubber in the sun, it will eventually become brittle and snap.”
verb + adj
02. make the bones brittle
“A lack of calcium can make the bones brittle and more prone to fractures.”
verb + noun + adj
Adjective
03. brittle with age
“The plastic casing had become brittle with age, cracking easily when handled.”
adj + prep
04. extremely brittle
“The old parchment was extremely brittle and crumbled at the slightest touch.”
adv + adj
Noun
05. brittle shell
“The insect protected itself inside a hard but brittle shell.”
adj + noun
06. brittle texture
“The pastry had a light, brittle texture that melted in the mouth.”
adj + noun
Real-World Examples
“It is denser than diamond, similarly hard but less brittle.” “It is stable and difficult to perturb, but brittle when pushed past its limit.” Etymology
From Middle English britel, brutel, brotel (“brittle”), from Old English brytel, bryttol (“brittle, fragile”, literally “prone to or tending to break”); equivalent to brit + -le.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/brittle
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0