ABRADING Synonyms: 113 Similar and Opposite Words

abrading 1 of 2

adjective

as in roughening

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Dissimilar Words

abrading

2 of 2

verb

present participle of abrade

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

as in irritating

to make sore by continued rubbing my new running shoes abraded my heels until they blistered

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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 abrading

Verb

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

Adjective

But the current debate begins, like so many irritating conversations, with the 2016 election.

— David Weigel, semafor.com, 2 Nov. 2026
The process is used to transform raw, localized ingredients — such as rice, but also honey and soybeans — into more potent but non-irritating formulas that target cellular turnover and provide deep hydration by penetrating the skin more effectively.

— Kati Chitrakorn, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of irritating

Verb

With first-party fraud and friendly disputes eroding already thin retail margins, managing chargebacks requires far more than basic operational recovery.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 30 Oct. 2026
Humboldt County officials have long debated what to do about Centerville Road, a narrow, twisting byway that leads to an eroding rural beach and a handful of homes.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of eroding

Verb

The Senators’ most head-scratching trade of the summer, acquiring him for a 2027 sixth-round pick, has proved fruitless.

— Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2026
State inspections also cited other pests (roaches and flies), as well as staff hygiene issues, including one employee seen scratching their nose then handling clean utensils.

— Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of scratching

Verb

In the photo, Ever is wearing black mascara that highlights her blue-green eyes, the spitting image of her mother’s, and glossy pink lipstick.

— Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 6 Nov. 2026
Our short list shapes up with a 200-hp power cruiser wearing a Lotus badge, a five-cylinder Puch moped, and an eight-cylinder, 1,000cc two-stroke motorcycle.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of wearing

Verb

The murder of two Israeli soldiers in the West Bank is the jumping-off point for a large-scale invasion of the Palestinian territory, a move that would further test the nation’s fraying relationship with the United States.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 24 Oct. 2026
During the Lin regime, one source told us that relationships with filmmakers were fraying.

— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of fraying

Verb

Oh, and a pad from an HTC Vive, because nobody wants the sharp edges of layered plastic extruded from a 3D printer rubbing against their face.

— Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
Some of the more envelope-pushing moments, including an extended scene of nuns ripping off their habits and rubbing themselves on a life-sized crucifix, were in the script.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of rubbing

Browse Nearby Words

abrades

abrading

abrasion

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Style

“Abrading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abrading. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of abrading

adjective

verb

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