1
as in erodes
to damage or diminish by continued friction
ropes abraded by the rocks were a huge danger to the climbers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
3
as in scrapes
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
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 abrades
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
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 8 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abrades
Verb
-
Here in the muddy middle is where confidence erodes, not because the writer lacks ability but because the process becomes complex.—
JD Barker,
Rolling Stone,
8 May 2026
-
The pattern held up consistently — later-day caffeine pushes sleep back and erodes its quality.—
Samantha Agate,
Sacbee.com,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
Daisy is caught so off guard that her first reaction is to laugh, which irritates Ben.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Castor Oil Castor oil irritates the digestive system of the moles and makes the soil less inviting to them.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Avery Sullivan, with whom Morris also plays in the country-rock band Fust, keeps loose time on drums, tapping the snare like someone setting down coffee mugs while Libby Rodenbough scrapes out a few melody lines on her fiddle and colors empty spaces with some ghostly tremolo.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
1 Apr. 2026
-
To show me, Max reaches a metal pick into a tank of clear water and scrapes a white line that seems to hover in the center of the tank.—
Blair Braverman,
Outside,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
When inside, Hattuta said everyone wears masks and keeps a safe distance from each other.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
The plethora of works are markedly vibrant and fresh, from the Hamlet in Brooklyn who wears a beanie to the one who enjoys Bollywood-style dances in London.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Find an activity that meets your current needs With so many facets to the creative life, there is bound to be an endeavor that scratches an itch.—
Theara Coleman,
TheWeek,
8 May 2026
-
Bites or scratches from an infected rodent or eating food contaminated with hantavirus, are other forms of exposure, Florida Health said.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
The coalition of supporters frays Still another issue is conflict within the legalization movement itself, particularly between the business and activist wings.—
William Garriott,
The Conversation,
17 Apr. 2026
-
This particular aspect of the show frays the gripping tone that had been so masterfully crafted from its opening scene.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abrades.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abrades. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
