: tending to erode or to induce or permit erosion
also
: caused or marked by erosion
erosive arthritis
erosiveness
noun
ero·sive·ness
-vnə̇s
variants
or erosivity
ə̇ˌrōˈsivətē 
(ˌ)ēˌr-
plural -es
1
: the quality or degree of effecting erosion : the power of eroding
the greater erosiveness of water on steep slopes
2
Examples of erosive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ezgi Karasözen, The Conversation, 6 May 2026
The grottoes, just a half-mile in, are well worth visiting to see an example of the erosive powers of water and time.
—Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026
The unique formations were created by the erosive power of the East Fork of the Black River.
—Joie Probst, Midwest Living, 10 Apr. 2026
Towering live oaks, cedars, and palmettos once grew near the shore here, but as the Atlantic’s erosive forces carved the bluffs away, the trees tumbled down and were weathered by sun and salt into pale, bleached skeletons.
—Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 9 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for erosive
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Adjective
Landslides are common in the coastal mountains of Alaska where rapid uplift, caused by tectonic forces and long-term ice loss, converges with the erosive forces of precipitation and moving glaciers.
—Ezgi Karasözen, The Conversation, 6 May 2026
The grottoes, just a half-mile in, are well worth visiting to see an example of the erosive powers of water and time.
—Staff Author, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026
The unique formations were created by the erosive power of the East Fork of the Black River.
—Joie Probst, Midwest Living, 10 Apr. 2026
Towering live oaks, cedars, and palmettos once grew near the shore here, but as the Atlantic’s erosive forces carved the bluffs away, the trees tumbled down and were weathered by sun and salt into pale, bleached skeletons.
—Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 9 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for erosive
Cite this Entry
“Erosive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/erosive. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
erosive
adjective
ero·sive
i-ˈrō-siv
-ziv
: tending to erode or to bring about or permit erosion
the erosive effect of water
erosiveness
noun
Medical Definition
erosive
adjective
ero·sive
i-ˈrō-siv, -ziv
: tending to erode or to induce or permit erosion
erosive lesions
also
: caused or marked by erosion
erosive osteoarthritis
erosive esophagitis
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