abraded; abrading

transitive verb

1
a
: to rub or wear away especially by friction : erode
b
: to irritate or roughen by rubbing
2
: to wear down in spirit : irritate, weary
abradable adjective
abrader noun

Examples of abrade in a Sentence

ropes abraded by the rocks were a huge danger to the climbers the prisoner's manacles abraded his wrists and ankles until they bled
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
After the fall of Hosni Mubarak, ordinary Egyptians brought paint cans from home to Tahrir Square, to re-mark the curbs that had been flaked from years of government neglect, and abraded by tanks and flying bricks during the protests. Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2024 For example, stone washing, which uses pumice stones and water to physically abrade the indigo dyestuff from the fabric surface, can be replaced by enzyme washing in low-liquid ratio machines. Sj Studio, Sourcing Journal, 5 Dec. 2024 In response to the downstream concerns about the prevention and control of lyocell fibrillation—the fiber separation in yarn that can occur when textiles are wet and abraded, which can cause pilling—Sateri provides three cross-linking solutions that are formaldehyde-free and easy to operate. Sj Studio, Sourcing Journal, 27 Sep. 2024 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 See all Example Sentences for abrade 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin abrādere "to remove by rubbing, scrape off," from ab- ab- + rādere "to scrape" — more at rase

First Known Use

1675, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of abrade was in 1675

Dictionary Entries Near abrade

Cite this Entry

“Abrade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abrade. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

abrade

verb
abraded; abrading
1
: to rub or wear away especially by friction
2
: to irritate or roughen by rubbing
abrader noun

Medical Definition

abrade

transitive verb
abraded; abrading
: to irritate or roughen by rubbing : chafe

More from Merriam-Webster on abrade

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