as in annoying
causing annoyance
an abrasive display of rude behavior
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of abrasive
Next, a wave of louder and more abrasive ‘60s counterculture acts like Jefferson Airplane; Crosby, Stills and Nash; Janis Joplin and other Woodstock performers kept the sweet sounds of Francis and her contemporaries off radio.
—
Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 17 July 2025
Finally, for tough jobs, an abrasive such as baking soda comes in handy.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 July 2025
Using abrasive steel wool on the wrong surfaces can cause damage.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 June 2025
To get your bathtub pristine white again, avoid using bleach, ammonia, or super abrasive chemicals.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for abrasive
Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 17 July 2025
Finally, for tough jobs, an abrasive such as baking soda comes in handy.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 July 2025
Using abrasive steel wool on the wrong surfaces can cause damage.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 June 2025
To get your bathtub pristine white again, avoid using bleach, ammonia, or super abrasive chemicals.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for abrasive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abrasive
Adjective
-
Electric staplers may also include bonus features like a refill indicator light, high-volume stapling and jam-free staple pathways for reducing annoying backups.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Aug. 2025
-
The 65-inch Sony Bravia 8 OLED TV has a sleek and minimalist design that really stands out, and its black levels are flawless, resulting in no annoying light bloom at all.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The woman’s walk was rushed and uptight, making that sound even more irritating.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
6 Aug. 2025
-
The call was impersonal, irritating, and to Borchardt, quite lazy.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
But the most frustrating point among them is the argument shared by several critics and a wider collection of the audience that the film doesn’t have a deeper meaning and is ultimately about nothing.—
Richard Newby,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Aug. 2025
-
With airport handlers worldwide managing 26 million bags each year, few travel inconveniences are more frustrating than arriving without your luggage.—
Kristine Hansen,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
To my mind, this is the most disturbing part of the retractions saga: the chaos, uncertainty, disrespect, and bullying, devoid of any underlying moral or philosophical reasoning.—
Elizabeth Kaye Cook
August 6,
Literary Hub,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Her dad, Taylor finds her art to be disturbing, but nonetheless harmless.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
6 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abrasive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abrasive. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share