embrittle
Render prone to shattering
To embrittle is to make something brittle—prone to cracking or breaking rather than bending.
The term appears most often in technical contexts: metals embrittle through hydrogen exposure or temperature extremes; polymers embrittle with age.
Years of UV exposure had embrittled the plastic casing.
The process is embrittlement.
Narrow break or attempt
- microcrackMinute structural fissure
- fissureNarrow crack in rock
- shatterFragment violently, suddenly
- splinterThin sharp fragment
snap · rupture · cleavage · propagation
Grow worse over time
- degradeLower in standing
- compromiseAgreement through mutual sacrifice
- impairTo diminish or damage
- undermineWeaken by stealth
debilitate · fatigue · corrode · atrophy · diminish · destabilize · damage · sap
Easily influenced or harmed
- sensitiveEasily affected emotionally
- proneInclined or face-down
- at-riskSubject to potential harm
- compromisedMade vulnerable to harm
exposed · precarious · fragile · delicate · unstable · weakened · endangered · imperiled
Losing electrons chemically
- corrosionChemical wearing away
- degradationDecline in condition
- fatigueWeariness from prolonged exertion
- agingGrowing older over time
sensitization · precipitation · segregation · diffusion · exposure · irradiation · nitriding
Ability to crack
- breakabilitySusceptibility to fracture
- friabilityTendency to crumble easily
- frangibilityEase of being broken
- glassinessSmooth transparent appearance
crystalline · ceramic · temper · hardness · rigidity · inflexibility · crispness · delicacy
crack
Narrow break or attempt
- microcrackMinute structural fissure
- fissureNarrow crack in rock
- shatterFragment violently, suddenly
splinter · snap · rupture · cleavage · propagation
deteriorate
Grow worse over time
- degradeLower in standing
- compromiseAgreement through mutual sacrifice
- impairTo diminish or damage
undermine · debilitate · fatigue · corrode · atrophy · diminish · destabilize · damage · sap · reduce
susceptible
Easily influenced or harmed
compromised · exposed · precarious · fragile · delicate · unstable · weakened · endangered · imperiled · jeopardized
oxidation
Losing electrons chemically
- corrosionChemical wearing away
- degradationDecline in condition
- fatigueWeariness from prolonged exertion
aging · sensitization · precipitation · segregation · diffusion · exposure · irradiation · nitriding
fracturability
Ability to crack
- breakabilitySusceptibility to fracture
- friabilityTendency to crumble easily
- frangibilityEase of being broken
glassiness · crystalline · ceramic · temper · hardness · rigidity · inflexibility · crispness · delicacy · granularity
embrittletoughen
Make harder to damage
strengthen · temper · plasticize · soften · fortify