as in roughening
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1
as in eroding
to damage or diminish by continued friction
ropes abraded by the rocks were a huge danger to the climbers
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in irritating
to make sore by continued rubbing
my new running shoes abraded my heels until they blistered
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in scraping
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
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Recent Examples of abrading
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Verb
Pockmarks and brittle edges show the abrading action of millennia of wind and rain.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abrading
Verb
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This has caused widespread confusion for voters and staff alike, disrupting service delivery and eroding the relationship between constituents and their representatives.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The continent’s eroding religious traditions and cultural loyalties, and its surging population of Muslim migrants, are a constant and gloomy obsession in Dreher’s posts.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The gentle formula removes dirt and product buildup with a mild lather without irritating the scalp.—
Jamie Wilson,
Glamour,
20 Feb. 2026
-
A lot of anti-aging skincare contains ingredients like retinol that can be drying and irritating, but Cetaphil has a possible solution.—
Lauren Taylor,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Some Walmart shoppers could have already seen egg prices drop at their local stores, according to USA TODAY's shopping cart tracker, powered by Bright Data, a data-scraping company.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
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There are 617 McDonald's restaurants in Ohio, according to the web scraping tool ScrapeHero.—
Chad Murphy,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Take Keke Palmer in a butter yellow and cream vintage Dior bustier dress with a scarf-tie waist, or Kate Hudson, who combined all the mid-10s and boho trends by wearing a leathery peplum and balloon pants by Chloé.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
16 Feb. 2026
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The post comes days after Meghan made a surprise solo appearance at the Fifteen Percent Pledge Gala in Los Angeles, wearing a dusty rose Harbison Studio gown with black piping and a dramatic black cape.—
Kim Willis,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That's only scratching the surface of the symbolism and spirit of revolt that Bad Bunny brought to the Super Bowl.—
Kathleen Newman-Bremang,
Refinery29,
9 Feb. 2026
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Mock suggests using gentle cleaning tools to avoid scratching the flooring.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
On a recent walk around Manhattan, for instance, Hadid paired blue jeans with a raw, fraying hem with classic loafers, a perfect combination of hippie and preppy.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
10 Feb. 2026
-
His voting coalition is fraying, too.—
Domenico Montanaro,
NPR,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The nun moved from one child to the next, tucking them back under the covers, rubbing backs,and whispering sweet words of affection.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
15 Feb. 2026
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One of his chief critics was Pele, and Scolari took great delight in rubbing Brazil’s triumph in his face.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abrading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abrading. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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