Synonyms of abrasive

abrasive

adjective

ə-ˈbrā-siv 

as in annoying

causing annoyance

an abrasive display of rude behavior

Synonyms & Similar Words

• annoying
• irritating
• frustrating
• disturbing
• aggravating
• exasperating
• irksome
• maddening
• vexatious
• painful
• bothersome
• vexing
• nettlesome
• pestilential
• rebarbative
• pestiferous
• pesky
• distractive
• galling
• nettling
• pesty
• pestilent
• chafing
• peeving
• riling
• stressful
• biting
• carking
• plaguey
• rankling
• infuriating
• troublesome
• mischievous
• offensive
• burdensome
• displeasing
• troubling
• importunate
• upsetting
• discomforting
• disquieting
• distressing
• tiresome
• enraging
• brattish
• bratty
• grating
• jarring
• angering
• spiny
• inconveniencing
• worrisome
• trying
• thorny
• importune
• jangling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• delightful
• pleasing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of abrasive

The ancient Greeks’ grooming was not limited to hair and beards; men used lotion from head to toe, often multiple times a day, and abrasive powders to brush their teeth. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026

This jagged microscopic debris, easily dispersed by meteorite impacts and rocket exhaust, is corrosive, abrasive and adhesive. — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2026

This is the man who made the two-and-a-half-hour, stream-of-consciousness passion project Bardo (2022), after all, which several critics also found rather abrasive and self-indulgent. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 7 Oct. 2026

Unlike harsh chemical cleaners or abrasive scrubbers like steel wool, salt effectively tackles grime while remaining safe for both wood and plastic cutting board surfaces. — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2026

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