Brittle is most nearly synonymous with which term?

The term "brittle" is best understood as describing materials or objects that are easily broken, shattered, or damaged under stress. This quality is closely related to the concept of "fragility." When something is fragile, it cannot withstand pressure or impact without breaking, much like brittle materials which may look solid but lack resilience.

In contrast, "strong," "flexible," and "heavy" do not convey the same meaning. Strong refers to the ability to withstand force without breaking, while flexible describes the ability to bend without breaking. Heavy relates only to weight and does not imply anything about the material's durability or resistance to damage. Thus, "fragile" aligns perfectly as the most synonymous term with "brittle," highlighting the idea of vulnerability to breaking under duress.