erosion

noun

ero·​sion i-ˈrō-zhən 

1

a

: the action or process of eroding

b

: the state of being eroded

2

: an instance or product of erosion

erosional

i-ˈrō-zh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

erosionally

i-ˈrō-zh(ə-)nəl-ē 

adverb

Synonyms of erosion

• corrosion

Examples of erosion in a Sentence

Landscapers planted grass to stop the erosion of the hillside.

Centuries of erosion by wind have carved grooves in the rocks.

Recent Examples on the Web

The erosion of Russia's air defense umbrella, and subsequently the increasing rate of successful Ukrainian drone strikes, will not have an immediate tactical battlefield impact, Ivan Stupak -- a former officer in the Security Service of Ukraine -- told ABC News. —David Brennan, ABC News, 4 June 2026

While this may sound cynical, the expanding influence of AI companies and big tech across society points to a gradual erosion of human authority in science as well. —Mohammad Hosseini, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2026

Some of the mission’s key work has included discovering that solar storms speed up the atmosphere’s erosion and mapping the planet’s high-altitude wind circulation. —Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 3 June 2026

Nearly half of that erosion occurred between March and April alone. —Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 2 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing erosion

• gully erosion

Rhymes for erosion

• corrosion
• explosion
• implosion

Kids Definition

erosion

noun

ero·​sion i-ˈrō-zhən 

: the action or process of eroding : the state of being eroded

erosional

-ˈrōzh-nəl 

-ˈrō-zhən-ᵊl

adjective

Medical Definition

erosion

noun

ero·​sion i-ˈrō-zhən 

1

a

: the superficial destruction of a surface area of tissue (as mucous membrane) by inflammation, ulceration, or trauma

erosion of the uterine cervix

b

: progressive loss of the hard substance of a tooth

2

: an instance or product of erosion

a circular erosion on the skin