abrade

verb

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\ ə-ˈbrād

abraded; abrading

Definition of abrade

transitive verb

1a : 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

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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 Another great crossover from the auto-body industry is rubbing compound that cleans and abrades the surface at the same time. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "10 Smart Spray Painting Tips for a Great-Looking Paint Job," 26 Apr. 2020 The findings from the cave also included a number of pumice stones that the Neanderthals likely used as an abrading tool to sharpen other tools. — Ashley Strickland, CNN, "Neanderthals combed beaches and went diving for shells to use as tools, study says," 15 Jan. 2020 The important thing is to abrade off shiny spots, rust, deep scratches, and the like. — Dan Roe, Popular Mechanics, "Things Come Apart: Milwaukee Cordless Band Saw," 20 Oct. 2019 Olefin is stain- and fade-resistant but can abrade with use. — Charlyne Mattox, Country Living, "How Much Does It Cost To Install Carpet?," 23 Sep. 2019 And under high braking pressure, the pads dig into the rotor surface like a microscopic hook-and-loop fastener—abrading the rotor and generating some dust, but delivering massive stopping power, too. — Ezra Dyer, Popular Mechanics, "How Porsche Built the Game-Changing Brakes on the 2019 Cayenne," 2 Aug. 2019 The surfaces are raw, abraded, sometimes buckled and creased. — Leah Ollman, Los Angeles Times, "One artist’s solution to the racial inequities embedded in books: Rip them apart," 5 Aug. 2019 Another great crossover from the auto-body industry is the scouring pastes that clean and abrade a surface at the same time. — Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, "10 Smart Spray Painting Tips for a Great-Looking Paint Job," 11 Mar. 2019 Try to avoid footwear that will further abrade the area. — Talia Abbas, SELF, "How to Stretch Shoes That Are Too Small," 24 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'abrade.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.