1
as in to erode
to damage or diminish by continued friction
ropes abraded by the rocks were a huge danger to the climbers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
3
as in to scrape
to damage by rubbing against a sharp or rough surface
the yacht's once-flawless wooden hull had been badly abraded by years of rough dockings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of abrade
Pockmarks and brittle edges show the abrading action of millennia of wind and rain.
—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
24 Nov. 2025
Each time clothes rub against each other in the washer, the friction abrades the fibers slightly causing the surface to look dull.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
8 Nov. 2025
Robotic hands: Mounted on the rover’s robotic arm are tools for blowing dust aside and abrading rock surfaces.
—
Ari Koeppel,
The Conversation,
17 Sep. 2025
My shoes abrade my feet and my shirt is stuck to my back.
—
Ariel Saramandi,
The Dial,
29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for abrade
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
24 Nov. 2025
Each time clothes rub against each other in the washer, the friction abrades the fibers slightly causing the surface to look dull.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
8 Nov. 2025
Robotic hands: Mounted on the rover’s robotic arm are tools for blowing dust aside and abrading rock surfaces.
—
Ari Koeppel,
The Conversation,
17 Sep. 2025
My shoes abrade my feet and my shirt is stuck to my back.
—
Ariel Saramandi,
The Dial,
29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for abrade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abrade
Verb
-
That pressure erodes well-being, undermines family life, and disproportionately impacts working parents and caregivers.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
24 June 2026
-
Starmer is leaving after two years in office marred by missteps and judgment errors that eroded his standing with his party and the public.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 June 2026
Verb
-
Residents were advised that while smoke may be irritating—particularly for those sensitive to air quality—there is currently no order for evacuation or shelter-in-place, despite a similar order already having been issued and lifted twice since the fire's ignition.—
Iris Salem,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
-
Ammonia is a common industrial chemical that can irritate the eyes and respiratory system when present in elevated concentrations.—
Sydney Barragan,
Daily News,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Most of the site has been cleaned and scraped, while the work at a nearby synagogue that suffered severe damage is just beginning.—
Chierstin Roth,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
-
Her older brother, 9-year-old Charlie, climbs across the nearby jungle gym at a Prairie Village playground as her younger brother, 3-year-old Will, scrapes a stick through the mulch.—
Anna Spoerre,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
The high-quality dress can be worn all summer long, in playful hues like white and green.—
Sarah DiMuro,
PEOPLE,
23 June 2026
-
The key to modernizing the pinkish-orange color in 2026 is to wear it in loose, easy silhouettes.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
22 June 2026
Verb
-
And these only scratch the surface of his accomplishments.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
21 June 2026
-
Even young raccoons can bite or scratch when frightened, and wild animals can carry parasites and diseases, says Rakestraw.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
The same fear of a fraying dollar system is driving Russia and others toward bitcoin and pushing Wall Street to treat which reserve asset wins as a live question.—
Boaz Sobrado,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
-
Trump’s posturing underscored how his alliance with Meloni — long seen as one of his closest friends in Europe — has frayed over his war in Iran, his tariffs against Europe and his complaints when anyone disagrees with him.—
Nicole Winfield,
Fortune,
20 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abrade. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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