abrade

verb

ə-ˈbrād 

abraded; abrading

transitive verb

1

a

: to rub or wear away especially by friction : erode

b

: to irritate or roughen by rubbing

2

: to wear down in spirit : irritate, weary

intransitive verb

: to undergo abrasion

abradable

ə-ˈbrā-də-bəl 

adjective

abrader noun

Synonyms

• erode
• wear
• fray

Examples of abrade in a Sentence

ropes abraded by the rocks were a huge danger to the climbers

the prisoner's manacles abraded his wrists and ankles until they bled

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, making art in New York also necessitates making a living, which for Wyeth means working art-adjacent day jobs in commercial spaces that abrade his practice. —Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025

Robotic hands: Mounted on the rover’s robotic arm are tools for blowing dust aside and abrading rock surfaces. —Ari Koeppel, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2025

My shoes abrade my feet and my shirt is stuck to my back. —Ariel Saramandi, The Dial, 29 July 2025

Avoid scrubbing the stain, which can grind it deeper into the fibers and abrade the fabric. —Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin abrādere "to remove by rubbing, scrape off," from ab- ab- + rādere "to scrape" — more at rase

First Known Use

1675, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for abrade

• afraid
• allayed
• arcade
• arrayed
• assayed
• barmaid
• betrayed
• blockade
• bridesmaid
• brigade
• brocade
• buffeted

Kids Definition

abrade

verb

ə-ˈbrād 

abraded; abrading

1

: to rub or wear away especially by friction

2

: to irritate or roughen by rubbing

abrader noun

Medical Definition

abrade

transitive verb

ə-ˈbrād 

abraded; abrading

: to irritate or roughen by rubbing : chafe