What does embrittling mean?
Embrittling is the process of making a material more brittle, usually by reducing its toughness or ductility. It is most often discussed in engineering and materials science, where causes include hydrogen exposure, irradiation, excessive hardness, thermal treatment, and mechanical stress. The word can describe either the process itself or an action that produces this change: a coating might be embrittling a metal, while engineers investigate embrittling in a component. Although the result is often harder or stronger in some respects, the material becomes less able to deform and may fracture suddenly under load. In technical writing, the nominal form “embrittlement” is often more common. Outside specialist contexts, the word is uncommon, but it is useful for naming a specific and consequential trade-off between hardness, strength, and resistance to fracture.
The process by which a material becomes more brittle or less ductile.
"The embrittling of the steel made it susceptible to sudden fracture."
Common in materials science and engineering; “embrittlement” is often the more usual nominal form.
Causing a material to become more brittle or less ductile.
"Hydrogen was embrittling the steel around the weld."
Usually used in technical contexts for a process whose cause is being investigated or described.
Harder is not always safer: embrittling can make a material crack suddenly under stress instead of bending.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does embrittling come from?
“Embrittling” comes from “embrittle,” formed by combining the prefix “em-” with “brittle.” “Brittle” derives from Old English “brēotan,” meaning “to break” or “shatter.” The related noun “embrittlement” and the derivative “brittleness” belong to the same lexical family.
Related word forms
How embrittling is actually used
This is chiefly a technical term used in engineering, metallurgy, and materials science. In technical prose, the more common nominal form is often “embrittlement.”
Easily confused with embrittling
Brittle is an adjective describing something that breaks easily, whereas embrittling names the process of making a material more brittle.