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
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Given that nursing home costs can easily exceed tens of thousands of dollars annually — and often much more depending on location and level of care — those expenses can quickly erode a retirement nest egg.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
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Consequently, rising inflation has steadily eroded real purchasing power, leaving 59 percent of Americans without sufficient savings to absorb a minor financial shock, such as a $1,000 emergency.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
2 June 2026
Verb
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It is expected that Mourinho will try to tighten control over leaks concerning internal dressing-room matters, something that has irritated the club this season — and which Alonso sought to tackle.—
Guillermo Rai,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
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Key Points Cayenne pepper can deter squirrels by irritating their senses without causing harm.—
Melissa Epifano,
The Spruce,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Proxy services are often used for illicit or unethical purposes such as performing DDoS attacks, running botnet command-and-control servers, operating phishing operations, and scraping website content.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
29 May 2026
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During that time, crews will scrape up old lines and paint new ones, ITD spokesperson Jill Youmans told the Idaho Statesman on Friday.—
Rose Evans
May 29,
Idaho Statesman,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Mark, on a skateboard, and Jacob, also wearing inline skates, followed a little more than an arm’s length behind.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2026
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There’s a similar amount of personality within Hadspen House, where a Roman bust wears a necklace of seashells and a snug room is decorated in the colors of the croquet set outside on the lawn.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Johnson, the second batter of the frame, hit a long fly ball to right field that kept carrying and scratched the wall as Jarrod Hocking attempted to rob it.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
29 May 2026
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Each spatula has a grippy handle and is made of flexible silicone that resists high cooking temperatures and won’t scratch bowls or bakeware.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
Verb
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His nerves were frayed and his sleep suffered.—
Bozorgmehr Sharafedin,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
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So when the seventh inning rolled around, his nerves were not frayed.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abrade. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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