brittle
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When stretched, solids elongate until they reach a critical stress point, then break suddenly in a process known as brittle fracture.
From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026
The old revolutionary story has grown brittle, feeble.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026
Investor sentiment in the software sector remains brittle due to AI fears, with Anthropic set to demonstrate Claude’s capabilities.
From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026
We move in a familiar loop: outrage at dysfunction, ritualized critique, then a quiet hope that the same brittle systems will somehow stabilize themselves when the stakes get high.
From Salon • Jan. 24, 2026
The face one shows him he invariably reflects back at one, creating the illusion of warmth and depth when in fact he is brittle and shallow as a mirror.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.