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
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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
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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
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The flow around the spacecraft erodes the surface, and particles get ejected as a constant stream.—
Julian Dossett,
Space.com,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Trust erodes not just in technology, but in leadership’s ability to steer it responsibly.—
Keith Ferrazzi,
Fortune,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Weed pollen typically irritates people in the late summer and early fall.—
Seth Jacobson,
wickedlocal.com,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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Backed by solid work by a handful of other writers, the actor wears all of Shah’s unlikeable qualities while still somehow managing to be, well, fairly likeable.—
Mark Meszoros,
Boston Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
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In addition to his bedazzled Whoop, the Los Angeles Lakers star wears incredible watches by Audemars Piguet, Rolex, and Patek Philippe on his other wrist.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That only scratches the surface of Dolphins possibilities in free agency.—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Mar. 2026
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Keep clean door mats inside and outside entrance areas to trap gritty dirt that scratches floors.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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Conjuring the troubled inner life of a young, beautiful and successful Buenos Aires fashion designer with an uncommon mix of stylistic rigor and feeling, the film frays your nerves.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abrades.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abrades. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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