abrasive

1 of 2

adjective

abra·​sive ə-ˈbrā-siv 

-ziv

1

: causing damage, wear, or removal of surface material by grinding or rubbing : tending to abrade

abrasive compounds for whitening teeth

an abrasive surface

2

: causing irritation

abrasive manners

an abrasive personality

abrasively adverb

abrasiveness noun

abrasive

2 of 2

noun

: a substance (such as emery or pumice) used for abrading, smoothing, or polishing

used an abrasive for polishing the rough stones

Did you know?

Abrasive Has Latin Roots

Once upon a time, English had abrade and abrase. While abrade remains a familiar word, abrase is rare but survives in abrasive. Both verbs come from abrādere, meaning "to remove by rubbing" or "to scrape off."

Synonyms

Adjective

• aggravating
• annoying
• bothersome
• carking
• chafing
• disturbing
• exasperating
• frustrating
• galling
• irksome
• irritating
• maddening
• nettlesome
• nettling
• peeving
• pesky
• pestiferous
• pestilent
• pestilential
• pesty
• plaguey
• plaguy
• rankling
• rebarbative
• riling
• vexatious
• vexing

Examples of abrasive in a Sentence

Adjective

The waves had an abrasive action on the rocks.

an abrasive display of rude behavior

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The actress never fully manages to connect the dots, and Robyn’s journey from abrasive housemate to concerned, moral authority is muddled at best. —Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 13 Sep. 2024

Top Aussie commanders like General Thomas Blamey, who had to deal with the general’s abrasive command style personally, felt they were treated as second-class allies and ignored in decision-making. —Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Sep. 2024

Noun

Bon Ami, Bar Keepers Friend, and The Pink Stuff are mild abrasives that are particularly effective at removing mineral and rust stains from hard, nonporous surfaces. —Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Aug. 2024

The Chef's Choice Electric Knife Sharpener, on sale for less than $170 at Amazon, uses diamond abrasives, the hardest natural substance on earth, to sharpen faster and create an ultra-sharp, longer-lasting edge. —Nora Colomer, Fox News, 14 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin abrāsus, past participle of abrādere "to scrape off, abrade" + -ive

Noun

derivative of abrasive entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1850, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

abrasive

1 of 2 adjective

abra·​sive ə-ˈbrā-siv 

-ziv

: having the effect of abrading

abrasively adverb

abrasiveness noun

abrasive

2 of 2 noun

: a substance (as sand) used for grinding, smoothing, or polishing

Medical Definition

abrasive

1 of 2 adjective

abra·​sive ə-ˈbrā-siv  -ziv 

: tending to abrade

an abrasive substance

abrasiveness noun

abrasive

2 of 2 noun

: a substance (as emery or pumice) used for abrading, smoothing, or polishing

called also abradant