<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-10-18</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2005-10-20</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001104657</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BRUSH ENGINEERED MATERIALS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BW</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001082767</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Bersticker Albert C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>17876 ST. CLAIR AVE.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CLEVELAND</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OH</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>44110</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Brush Engineered Materials Inc.</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-10-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>752</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>15.0775</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10472</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Brush Engineered Materials Inc.</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>14128</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Acquired and held by trust for the Brush Engineered Materials Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-employee Directors and the 1997 Stock Incentive Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Of these shares, 13,628 were distributed from the Brush Engineered Materials Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-employee Directors on September 6, 2004 in accordance with plan specifications.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>This amendment is being filed to correct the number of shares purchased on October 18, 2005 and to further clarify the purchase price.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Susan J. MacDonald / Atty in Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-10-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
