brittleness

Definitions

The quality of being hard but liable to break or shatter easily.

The tendency of a material to fracture or fail with little or no plastic deformation.

Examples

The extreme cold caused a noticeable brittleness in the plastic components of the machine.

Over time, the brittleness of the old paper made it difficult to turn the pages without tearing them.

Engineers are studying the brittleness of the new alloy to ensure it can withstand high-impact stress.

Synonyms

fragility frailty crispness delicacy friability breakability flimsiness

Antonyms

durability toughness resilience strength flexibility pliability elasticity