ERODE Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

erode

verb

i-ˈrōd

Definition of erode

as in to eat

to consume or wear away gradually the fear that inflation will continue to erode people's savings

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to wear

to damage or diminish by continued friction the winds and desert sands have eroded much of the original surface of these ancient monuments

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 erode Trust had eroded, communication had become strained, and both teams were frustrated. — Chris Suchánek, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026 Communities have seen waves pound the coastline, eroding the shore and putting homes and infrastructure at risk. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026 This is happening as foundational literacy skills are eroding. — Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2026 But critics of the flat-rate COLA, like the nonprofit and nonpartisan AARP, calculate that 80% of beneficiaries would see the purchasing power of their benefits erode year after year, leaving many in or near poverty. — Medora Lee, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for erode

Recent Examples of Synonyms for erode

Verb

There are few breaks other than to sleep, eat, hydrate or get his bike fixed.

— Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
The people who were gathered at tables around her, eating buffet tacos and sipping cans of Coke Zero, were first- and second-generation Americans getting ready to run for office or to work on political campaigns.

— Jesús Rodríguez, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of eat

Verb

Carlton Wing wore a coat of live mayflies Thursday while fly fishing for bream on Midway Lake.

— Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2026
Her coaching staff has worn IM8 swag, though things can get confusing because her coach, Anton Dubrov, is now part of the Eight Sleep team.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of wear

Verb

After Israel destroyed Jenin refugee camp during the Second Intifada in 2002, a young girl looked into Mohammad Bakri’s camera and said that Palestinians would live proudly as eagles and die standing like lions.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
That’s because key refineries that produce it have been knocked offline or destroyed, both in Eastern Europe — where the Ukraine-Russia war still rages — and in the Middle East.

— Steve Kopack, NBC news, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of destroy

Verb

The relationship between the fans and the club’s hierarchy, including ownership at The Friedkin Group, has also been frayed due to the way the window ended.

— Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
The Bayeux Tapestry is centuries old, torn in thousands of places, and liable to fray at the lightest touch.

— John Phipps, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of fray

Verb

The element reacts violently with moisture, corrodes rapidly in normal air, and poses an immediate fire hazard if exposed to humidity.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
After 3,000 drops, roughly equivalent to an afternoon of moderate rain, the copper plate beneath all four surfaces had corroded, despite its Teflon coating.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of corrode

Verb

Its compact permanent magnet motor enables a smaller pod diameter, reducing hydrodynamic drag while maintaining high propulsion performance.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
Advanced transmission technologies can reduce those losses and increase existing network capacity without requiring entirely new lines.

— Nana Menya Ayensu, semafor.com, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of reduce

Verb

One juror was rubbing his eyes as Sullivan talked, and another was clasping and unclasping his hands in his lap.

— Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026
Danger, Olivo, and Mosco had just eaten by the gazebo and Damaris was rubbing her pup’s head goodnight, about to go into the shack.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of rub

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ermines

erode

eroded

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“Erode.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/erode. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of erode

verb

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