Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective frangible contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of frangible are brittle, crisp, fragile, and friable. While all these words mean "breaking easily," frangible implies susceptibility to being broken without implying weakness or delicacy.

frangible stone used for paving

When would brittle be a good substitute for frangible?

The meanings of brittle and frangible largely overlap; however, brittle implies hardness together with lack of elasticity or flexibility or toughness.

brittle bones

When is it sensible to use crisp instead of frangible?

In some situations, the words crisp and frangible are roughly equivalent. However, crisp implies a firmness and brittleness desirable especially in some foods.

crisp lettuce

When can fragile be used instead of frangible?

The synonyms fragile and frangible are sometimes interchangeable, but fragile implies extreme delicacy of material or construction and need for careful handling.

a fragile antique chair

When could friable be used to replace frangible?

Although the words friable and frangible have much in common, friable applies to substances that are easily crumbled or pulverized.

friable soil

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of frangible Solid fences are safer today thanks to safety features like frangible pins and MIM clips that make a fence fall or collapse when hit. Olivia Hampton, NPR, 5 June 2024 If the boat does not stop, the Interceptor pulls alongside and the agent fires with disintegrating frangible ammunition into the boat’s engine. New York Times, 28 Jan. 2021 Nagel pumped the shotgun and chambered the first frangible round. New York Times, 28 Jan. 2021 At 1,000 metres, a frangible bolt—which was supposed to detach explosively in the event of power loss to shed weight—broke off. The Economist, 6 Sep. 2019 Now the team, led by Professor of Computer Vision Paul Rosin, is asking for more texts too fragile to be opened, hoping to ease the burden on historical researchers hesitant to examine the frangible objects. Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, 4 Oct. 2018 Details needed to be worked out, such as a requirement that school guns fire only frangible bullets, which break apart into small pieces and are unlikely to pass through victims, as a way to limit the danger to innocent students. Todd C. Frankel, Washington Post, 19 May 2018 Ascendance International was exhibiting its trademark frangible bullets with a full-auto AR-15. Elliott Woods, The New Republic, 16 Apr. 2018 This guy visited Bam two months ago to take extensive tourist pictures of Bam’s famous and highly frangible mud-brick structures. Wired Staff, WIRED, 30 Dec. 2003
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frangible
Adjective
  • But with great power, comes great responsibility and - in this case - comes greater fragility (a quantum state can be said to be brittle or fragile, mostly due to the speed at which machines at this level work) and greater potential for errors.
    Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Developing tourism in a fragile environment is a tricky balancing act.
    Chris Morris, Fortune Europe, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Some small clinical trials have shown biotin supplements may help strengthen brittle nails by improving their firmness, thickness and hardness.
    Caroline C. Boyle, USA TODAY, 20 Nov. 2024
  • Tips for Making Peanut Brittle Here are a few of our Test Kitchen's best tips for making this peanut brittle recipe.
    Shelli McConnell, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • From ‘no word for art’ to one of Indian Country’s biggest industries At the Heard Museum in Phoenix last March, artists unloaded beadwork and baskets, paintings, pottery and photography, jewelry, stone and wood sculptures, textiles and delicate works in glass.
    Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 22 Nov. 2024
  • The art world, like the artwork itself, exists in a delicate balance of elitism and absurdity, meaning and nonsense.
    Natalie Stoclet, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near frangible

Cite this Entry

“Frangible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frangible. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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