grind down

phrasal verb

ground down; grinding down; grinds down
1
: to make (something hard) smaller and smoother by gradually rubbing off tiny bits
The old dog's teeth had been ground down by use.
2
: to weaken or destroy (someone or something) gradually
Poverty ground her spirit down.
These people have been ground down by years of oppression.

Examples of grind down in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But tariffs threaten to grind down growth for the U.S. and other economies while exacerbating inflation, which appears to have become stuck stubbornly above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Elaine Kurtenbach, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2025 The device heats up and grinds down food waste into dry grounds that can be composted in a backyard garden, composted in a city's service, or consumed by animals like chickens. Katie Fehrenbacher, Axios, 3 Apr. 2025 Would Maryland’s second-round NCAA Tournament victory over Colorado State have meant as much if the Terps had ground down their mid-major opponent and won by 10? Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 24 Mar. 2025 The idea ― which has been proven to be very successful ― is to prevent a plaintiff from using the heavy monetary and emotional expense of litigation to grind down a defendant, even if the plaintiff's lawsuit is ultimately shown to be meritless. Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for grind down

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grind down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grind%20down. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on grind down

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!