1
as in to erode
to damage or diminish by continued friction
ropes abraded by the rocks were a huge danger to the climbers
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2
3
as in to scrape
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of abrade
It’s believed this phenomenon is thanks to the fast flow of the water that abrades the rocky coast, dislodging more minerals into the ocean.
—
Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 27 July 2024
Gently dab at the stain until it's gone, taking care not to scrub, as friction can abrade the material and damage the lampshade.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 July 2024
Plus, the sensation inside my throat felt scary: raw, abraded.
—Dessa Dessa Tanya Pérez Alec K. Redfearn, New York Times, 12 June 2024
China will retain that status and continue to abrade the United States and other countries, especially throughout Asia, over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, the hacking and theft of intellectual property, and climate change, among other issues.
—Daniel Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 11 Jan. 2016
See all Example Sentences for abrade 
Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 27 July 2024
Gently dab at the stain until it's gone, taking care not to scrub, as friction can abrade the material and damage the lampshade.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 July 2024
Plus, the sensation inside my throat felt scary: raw, abraded.
—Dessa Dessa Tanya Pérez Alec K. Redfearn, New York Times, 12 June 2024
China will retain that status and continue to abrade the United States and other countries, especially throughout Asia, over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, the hacking and theft of intellectual property, and climate change, among other issues.
—Daniel Lynch, Foreign Affairs, 11 Jan. 2016
See all Example Sentences for abrade
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abrade
Verb
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Some market watchers said such moves would help weaken the dollar, bolstering exports and eroding America’s huge trade deficit, a point of frustration for Trump.—
Andrew Ross Sorkin,
New York Times,
24 Jan. 2025
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This shift has eroded our industrial base, closing factories, costing jobs and weakening domestic production.—
Matthew Putman,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Double-cleansing mature skin involves two non-stripping formulas to thoroughly cleanse without compromising hydration or irritating delicate skin.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
23 Jan. 2025
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The 2020 recall came eight years after Fitbit recalled its Fitbit Force activity-tracking wristband after the company received roughly 9,900 reports of the wristband irritating skin and 250 reports of blistering.—
Kate Gibson,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The Colorado Department of Transportation’s statewide map showed all interstate and major state highways open as of 10:30 a.m., with dozens of plows busy scraping roadways.—
Max Levy,
The Denver Post,
18 Jan. 2025
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The arched geometric designs and texture add intrigue, while the latter also serves a functional purpose—to easily scrape off dirt and dust from your shoes.—
Megan Schaltegger,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The superstar took to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday (Jan. 23) to share a video wearing headphones while sitting at what appears to be a studio desk, before grabbing the phone and turning it around to reveal the screen in front of her, blocking its contents with a red heart emoji.—
Rania Aniftos,
Billboard,
23 Jan. 2025
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Vogue Shopping The insider’s guide to what to shop and how to wear it.—
Chioma Nnadi,
Vogue,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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For seeds with a hard seed coat, scraping them on 150-grit sandpaper scratches the seed coat enough to allow the seed to soak up or imbibe water.—
Markis Hill,
Kansas City Star,
17 Jan. 2025
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Many lawyers are also scratching their heads over Drake’s case.—
Justin Curto,
Vulture,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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With younger viewers gravitating to a panoply of non-traditional voices for information, CBS News can’t afford to let its connection to audiences fray.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
27 Jan. 2025
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Their relationship frayed amid Rocky’s rise to fame.—
Jonathan Abrams,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near abrade
Cite this Entry
“Abrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abrade. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
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