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

As Mendonça’s international reputation grew, the hard-right President Jair Bolsonaro took office in Brazil, and Mendonça used his platform to denounce the country’s democratic erosion. —Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026

Rain and watering by sprinkler will cause some erosion unless there is a layer of mulch. —Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026

The greatest concern is along the North Carolina Outer Banks and into the Virginia Tidewater region, where strong winds, high surf and beach erosion could lead to overwash and flooding in vulnerable coastal communities. —Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026

America's financial system operates at a different scale—but the mechanisms of institutional erosion transcend borders. —Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 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