abrasive

1 of 2

adjective

abra·​sive ə-ˈbrā-siv How to pronounce abrasive (audio)
-ziv
1
: causing damage, wear, or removal of surface material by grinding or rubbing : tending to abrade
abrasive compounds for whitening teeth
an abrasive surface
2
: causing irritation
abrasive manners
an abrasive personality
abrasively adverb
abrasiveness noun

abrasive

2 of 2

noun

: a substance (such as emery or pumice) used for abrading, smoothing, or polishing
used an abrasive for polishing the rough stones

Did you know?

Abrasive Has Latin Roots

Once upon a time, English had abrade and abrase. While abrade remains a familiar word, abrase is rare but survives in abrasive. Both verbs come from abrādere, meaning "to remove by rubbing" or "to scrape off."

Examples of abrasive in a Sentence

Adjective The waves had an abrasive action on the rocks. an abrasive display of rude behavior
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Most are finished smooth, the felt shaved with fine abrasive papers, as well as conditioned and polished. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 3 Mar. 2024 Because pure sugar granules from your cupboard can be far too jagged and abrasive on your skin, they should never be used on your face. Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024 Lead can be a hazard for a range of workers, including laborers involved in recycling or manufacturing lead acid batteries; construction workers who do abrasive blasting, steel welding or lead abatement; and employees at firing ranges. Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2024 According to Quartey, these ingredients are too abrasive. USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2024 Over all, the commercials felt abrasive, and written for people with fried attention spans. Tyler Foggatt, The New Yorker, 12 Feb. 2024 Some materials such as porous granite are more delicate and prone to scratches from abrasive cleaning agents. Kaitlyn McInnis, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Jan. 2024 Moods range from oceanic ambient to dazzling, abrasive freak-outs. Evan Minsker, Pitchfork, 12 Jan. 2024 The idea of applying anything abrasive on your teeth might sound scary, but certain abrasives are actually beneficial for your teeth. Lacey Muinos, Health, 11 Dec. 2023
Noun
Adding an abrasive can also help, but be careful not to scratch the glass. Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024 The safety and Industrial segment comprises abrasives, automotive aftermarkets, closure and masking systems, communication markets, electrical markets, industrial adhesives and tapes, personal safety, roofing granules, and others. Joe Cornell, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Toothpastes also contain abrasives and detergents, says Dr. Kutlay. Barbara Bellesi Zito, Peoplemag, 13 Dec. 2023 In addition to being a gentle abrasive, baking soda has brightening properties and is a natural deodorizer, helping to eliminate odors from onions, garlic, and other food stains. Samantha Hunter, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Dec. 2023 The idea of applying anything abrasive on your teeth might sound scary, but certain abrasives are actually beneficial for your teeth. Lacey Muinos, Health, 11 Dec. 2023 Using whitening toothpaste with abrasives may also cause teeth roughness and hardness issues in just one week of use.6 Brushing too hard or using a very hard bristle toothbrush can exacerbate potential enamel damage, too. Dr. Roshini Raj, Health, 3 Dec. 2023 This is an electric sharpener that uses diamond discs as the abrasive to hone knives. Laura Denby, Peoplemag, 10 Oct. 2023 The first two stages use the diamond abrasives to hone knife edges, and then the third stage smooths and refines the blade. Meg Carney, Field & Stream, 21 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'abrasive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin abrāsus, past participle of abrādere "to scrape off, abrade" + -ive

Noun

derivative of abrasive entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of abrasive was in 1601

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Dictionary Entries Near abrasive

Cite this Entry

“Abrasive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abrasive. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

abrasive

1 of 2 adjective
abra·​sive ə-ˈbrā-siv How to pronounce abrasive (audio)
-ziv
: having the effect of abrading
abrasively adverb
abrasiveness noun

abrasive

2 of 2 noun
: a substance (as sand) used for grinding, smoothing, or polishing

Medical Definition

abrasive

1 of 2 adjective
abra·​sive ə-ˈbrā-siv How to pronounce abrasive (audio) -ziv How to pronounce abrasive (audio)
: tending to abrade
an abrasive substance
abrasiveness noun

abrasive

2 of 2 noun
: a substance (as emery or pumice) used for abrading, smoothing, or polishing

called also abradant

More from Merriam-Webster on abrasive

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