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 Over time, as players bluff, bargain, and make increasingly dubious trades, trust starts to erode, more and more adverse selection happens — and the game descends into a kind of joyful chaos. — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026 Once the decision is made, continuing to relitigate it creates confusion, erodes trust, and slows execution. — Johnny C. Taylor Jr, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026 Its growth is slowing, surging memory prices threaten to erode its margins, and more financial institutions are souring on the company. — Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026 Metrolink officials say that the gravel beneath the tracks began to erode due to the tides, which also caused interference with railroad communication systems. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for erode

Recent Examples of Synonyms for erode

Verb

About how many pounds of fish do each of these strapping, 1,100-lb lads eat per day?

— AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Strawberries offer a taste of summer, even when they are eaten in the dead of winter.

— Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of eat

Verb

Cue forward Josh Windass revealing on camera how James, as one of those who had worn the armband during the season, had approached him about setting up a meeting with just the players present.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Workers who spend hours outdoors, such as construction and farm workers, also commonly wear UPF clothing.

— Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of wear

Verb

Vendors said enforcement sweeps that began earlier this year have threatened their livelihoods, with authorities confiscating vending equipment and, in some cases, destroying it.

— Da Lin, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
One of those, the USS Gerald R Ford, also reported problems earlier this year, from toilets that weren’t working to a laundry fire that briefly stopped combat operations and destroyed some sleeping quarters.

— Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of destroy

Verb

The long-staple cotton threads are less likely to fray or feel rough to the touch, helping the sheets maintain that smooth finish over time.

— Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 12 Aug. 2026
More drones and missiles are slipping through both sides’ fraying air defenses, meaning that the civilian death toll has increased, and more critical infrastructure is being damaged.

— Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of fray

Verb

Liquid lead can corrode steel over time at normal operating temperatures of 530°C (about 990°F).

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 2026
From that moment suspicion corrodes old loyalties, and the village’s Muslims are evacuated to a refugee camp for transport to Pakistan.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026

Definition of corrode

Verb

The South in particular faces higher rates of obesity and other health challenges that have further reduced the pool of eligible recruits and contributed to higher injury rates during basic training, according to service data.

— Steven Beynon, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
The historic supply shock has also been softened by other factors, including alternative export routes out of the Gulf, China reducing its oil imports, the United States increasing production and drawdowns from global oil stockpiles.

— Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of reduce

Verb

Their efforts have successfully erased half the population from public life and made Afghanistan one of the world’s most dangerous places to be a woman.

— Kara Fox, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
But what frightened me most was not death alone, but the idea of dying before my writings reached the world—that my story would disappear with me, and that my feelings, my memories, my identity, and my human experience would be erased.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of erase

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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 17 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of erode

verb

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