From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbrittlebrit‧tle /ˈbrɪtl/ adjective 1 BREAKhard but easily broken The branches were dry and brittle. Joanna was diagnosed as having brittle bones.2 DAMAGEa situation, relationship, or feeling that is brittle is easily damaged or destroyed He spoke with the brittle confidence of someone who, underneath, was very worried.3 UNFRIENDLYshowing no warm feelings a brittle laugh
Examples from the Corpus
brittle• Perming makes your hair more brittle.• Relations between the two countries are still very brittle.• The paper was old and brittle.• The thick slash lying everywhere had been packed down, and decay had made it brittle.• The building's electrical wiring was worn and brittle, causing a fire hazard.• The result was a sweaty medley, harsh and brittle on the surface, but cheesy and rotten underneath.• Then the brittle pupal case had cracked at the top, where the adult moth had emerged.• But the comic form he has chosen is too brittle to contain his appalled indignation.Origin brittle (1300-1400) Old English gebryttan “to break into pieces” 