Synonyms of abrade

abrade

verb

ə-ˈbrād 

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

• erode
• wear
• fray
• rub
• chafe
• reduce
• scrape
• erase
• shave
• bite
• sharpen
• fret
• gall
• gnaw
• scour
• eat
• frazzle
• corrade
• graze
• chew
• corrode
• file
• sandblast
• disintegrate
• rasp
• scuff
• sandpaper
• nibble
• decompose
• grate
• dissolve
• grind
• wear out
• wipe (away)
• hone
• whet
• rub out
• break down
• break up

2

as in to irritate

to make sore by continued rubbing

my new running shoes abraded my heels until they blistered

Synonyms & Similar Words

• irritate
• scratch
• scrape
• chafe
• excoriate
• fret
• graze
• skin
• peel
• gall
• burn
• inflame
• flay

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

• scrape
• scratch
• graze
• scuff
• bruise
• skin
• bark
• chafe
• lacerate
• claw
• fret
• cut
• gall
• contuse

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• soften
• smooth
• polish
• wax

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of abrade

Prior to snapping its selfie, the rover had just finished abrading the rocky Arethusa outcrop. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 13 May 2026

Diatomaceous earth is an organic compound that kills ants by drying out and abrading their bodies. — Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 3 May 2026

Loose-fitting covers can flap in the wind and abrade wicker surfaces. — Colleen Sullivan, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Dec. 2025

Pockmarks and brittle edges show the abrading action of millennia of wind and rain. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025