abrasion

noun

abra·​sion ə-ˈbrā-zhən 

1

a

: a wearing, grinding, or rubbing away by friction

b

: irritation

2

: an abraded area of the skin or mucous membrane

Synonyms of abrasion

• bruise

Examples of abrasion in a Sentence

abrasion of rocks by wind and water

walked away from the auto accident with only minor abrasions

Recent Examples on the Web

Crump said the pathologist noted injury patterns on Kohen’s body caused by debris in the bullet’s wake and displayed a picture showing several abrasions on the child’s right torso. — Bracey Harris, NBC news, 1 July 2026

The officer suffered fractured ribs, abrasions and bruising and was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital for treatment, police said. — Mauricio Maldonado, CBS News, 29 June 2026

Standardized fabric-durability tests measure how many abrasion cycles a fabric withstands before showing wear, and textile-testing services could use them to estimate garment longevity and generate CPW labels next to the price. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026

Lightweight, water-repellent, and abrasion-resistant fabric with a UPF 50 rating already give these pants an impressive resume. — Alice Bennett, Travel + Leisure, 26 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin abrāsiōn-, abrāsiō, from Latin abrādere "to scrape off" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at abrade

First Known Use

circa 1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for abrasion

• caucasian
• equation
• eurasian
• evasion
• invasion
• occasion
• persuasion
• asian
• suasion
• athanasian

Kids Definition

abrasion

noun

abra·​sion ə-ˈbrā-zhən 

1

: a rubbing, grinding, or wearing away by friction

2

: a place where the surface has been rubbed or scraped off

an abrasion on her knee

Medical Definition

abrasion

noun

abra·​sion ə-ˈbrā-zhən 

1

: wearing, grinding, or rubbing away by friction

2

a

: the rubbing or scraping of the surface layer of cells or tissue from an area of the skin or mucous membrane

also : a place so abraded

b

: the mechanical wearing away of the tooth surfaces by chewing