1
as in to erode
to damage or diminish by continued friction
ropes abraded by the rocks were a huge danger to the climbers
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2
3
as in to scrape
to damage by rubbing against a sharp or rough surface
the yacht's once-flawless wooden hull had been badly abraded by years of rough dockings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of abrade
Compared to its predecessors, Perseverance uses an advanced abrading bit and gaseous Dust Removal Tool, or gDRT, which applies five puffs of nitrogen to clear samples in a way that poses less risk of contamination.
—
Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 30 June 2025
It’s said to cause people to become irritable, aggravate health problems, and abrade mechanical devices.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
The cinematography, by Christopher Messina, feels as abraded as Linda’s psyche.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2025
Toshiba and Hitachi have designed robots that use jets of high-pressure water and dry ice to abrade the surfaces of walls and floors; the robots will scour away radioactive materials along with top layers of paint or concrete and vacuum up the resulting sludge.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Feb. 2014
See All Example Sentences for abrade
Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 30 June 2025
It’s said to cause people to become irritable, aggravate health problems, and abrade mechanical devices.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 8 May 2025
The cinematography, by Christopher Messina, feels as abraded as Linda’s psyche.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2025
Toshiba and Hitachi have designed robots that use jets of high-pressure water and dry ice to abrade the surfaces of walls and floors; the robots will scour away radioactive materials along with top layers of paint or concrete and vacuum up the resulting sludge.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Feb. 2014
See All Example Sentences for abrade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abrade
Verb
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In particular, the city’s stormwater system is failing as pipes have eroded and caused sinkholes to pop up in some parts of the city.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
29 Oct. 2025
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Wiener introduced the bill, citing the growing number of vigilante and impersonation cases that had eroded trust in police.—
Devan Patel,
Mercury News,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The formula was comfortable and didn’t irritate my skin or leave any residue.—
Essence,
Essence,
28 Oct. 2025
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The lord didn’t much care for that, which of course only made Heinzelmann want to irritate him further.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Beat until combined, scraping bowl as needed.—
Jenavieve Christensen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Oct. 2025
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The right side was scraped down more.—
Antonio Losada,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Bachelor will always find a wife in six weeks, Kim and Khloe will always make up, and Chrishell and crew will always wear inappropriate outfits in a professional atmosphere.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
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Researchers have developed a new type of textile that can adjust its aerodynamic properties while worn on the body.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Additionally, acrylic and fiberglass are not as durable as cast iron and can scratch more easily.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
28 Oct. 2025
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And that’s just scratching the surface.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The first one will be connected to a larger community center so that even people who are not in-patient will be able to access health care, mental health care, career counseling, financial planning management and family therapy services to help rebuild relationships frayed by addiction.—
Tatiana Siegel,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
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Four years later, Afghanistan has faded from headlines and those lifelines have frayed.—
Vidushi Mishti Sharma,
Rolling Stone,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abrade. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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