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

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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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
  • Sabalenka double-faulted on match point, her seventh double fault of the day, to put an exclamation point on an irritating evening.
    — Lukas Weese, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Soft, suede-like material is smooth on skin and non-irritating.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of irritating
Verb
  • Each one functions like a coarse grain of sand, eroding the certainties and stereotypes that harden racial discourse.
    — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the soil surrounding the house is eroding and the structure is sinking.
    — William Earl, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of eroding
Verb
  • There are different types of algae scrapers for both glass and acrylic fish tanks, so choose accordingly to avoid scratching or damaging the aquarium.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, for those of us steeped in the tech field, there is quite a bit of head scratching going on.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of scratching
Verb
  • Bourdain was doing all of the grunt work at the Flagship, scrubbing pots and pans, scraping plates, peeling potatoes, and cleaning shrimp.
    — Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Today’s blog post further claimed that Old Reddit is leading to unwarranted content scraping.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of scraping
Verb
  • Some more images show Kidman, Bullock, 62, King, 26, and Williams, 29, wearing flowing gowns while hooked onto wires, seemingly filming a scene that involves flying, in front of a blue screen.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
  • For centuries, India’s rulers treasured these precious stones, decorating their palaces, thrones, and crowns with them, and wearing them in lavish displays of wealth and opulence.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of wearing
Verb
  • The accusations only make Winifred, who has secretly been dealing with a rapidly fraying psyche, more paranoid, leading to bloody and dangerous consequences.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 30 July 2026
  • Nanfelt said some have misread any concern of unexpected decisions this year as pointing to a fraying relationship between city leadership and the business community.
    — DJ Simmons July 27, Charlotte Observer, 27 July 2026
Definition of fraying
Verb
  • Republicans are rubbing their hands in glee at the neocommunist advance in their opposing party.
    — Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Rather than rubbing the stain deeper into the fabric, blotting motions will gently remove as much product as possible.
    — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of rubbing

Browse Nearby Words

abrades
abrading
abrasion
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Cite this Entry

“Abrading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abrading. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of abrading for Spanish Speakers

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