abrading 1 of 2

adjective

as in roughening

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abrading

2 of 2

verb

present participle of abrade
1
as in eroding
to damage or diminish by continued friction ropes abraded by the rocks were a huge danger to the climbers

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2
as in irritating
to make sore by continued rubbing my new running shoes abraded my heels until they blistered

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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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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
  1. irritating
  2. eroding
  3. scratching
  4. scraping
  5. wearing
  6. fraying
  7. rubbing
Adjective
  • His irritating habit of starting each meeting with the ping of a bell reinforces his personality.
    — Oline Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The larger battery gives it the sort of range that makes an EV genuinely useful for long-distance driving, while the interior avoids some of the irritating touchscreen-heavy trends found elsewhere.
    — Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of irritating
Verb
  • The veteran Ford was counted on entering camp to be the sixth man in the offensive line room, but plays like those have come far too often while eroding the team’s confidence in him coming off the bench.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Traditional business moats are eroding, exemplified by Chegg's collapse, as the market prices certainty into an inherently uncertain technology, causing unprecedented volatility and layoffs.
    — Jemma Green, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of eroding
Verb
  • The selloff in exchange stocks has execs in Chicago and New York scratching their heads, according to on and off-the-record conversations with executives.
    — Oliver Renick, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026
  • John DeBacker The kitten was surprised and tried to put up a fight, meowing, scratching and trying to get loose before DeBacker put it in a crate.
    — Alexa Herrera, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of scratching
Verb
  • According to the waiter, even a request as simple as removing cheese from a burger might result in the kitchen scraping it off rather than preparing an entirely new burger.
    — Meena Thiruvengadam, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2026
  • With the sprightly energy of a schoolboy, Jean-Paul Doron bounds into an empty creek, his red suede shoes scraping pale rocks.
    — Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of scraping
Verb
  • Tete was in his car outside his home last week when men wearing balaclavas opened fire, police said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Social media videos have popped up showing young women on scooters wearing helmets, but no headscarves.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of wearing
Verb
  • To help prevent the fabric around the drawstring hole from fraying, paint a rectangle and snip an opening in the channel as described below.
    — Jodi Levine, Parents, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The harsh realities of war are woven into the textures of everyday life, warping and fraying into something absurd.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of fraying
Verb
  • For someone with a flexible foot or a narrow forefoot where the toes tend to crowd each other, separating the big toe from the second toe can reduce rubbing and irritation.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The forward has also trademarked his nickname ‘Cold Palmer’, a nod to his celebration, crossing and rubbing his arms as though to warm himself up.
    — Hannah Vanbiber, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of rubbing

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abrades
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Cite this Entry

“Abrading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abrading. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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