erode

verb

i-ˈrōd 

eroded; eroding

transitive verb

1

: to diminish or destroy by degrees:

a

: to eat into or away by slow destruction of substance (as by acid, infection, or cancer)

b

: to wear away by the action of water, wind, or glacial ice

flooding eroded the hillside

c

: to cause to deteriorate or disappear as if by eating or wearing away

inflation eroding buying power

2

: to produce or form by eroding

glaciers erode U-shaped valleys

intransitive verb

: to undergo erosion

where the land has eroded away

erodibility

i-ˌrō-də-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

erodible adjective

or less commonly erodable

i-ˈrō-də-bəl 

Synonyms

• bite (at)
• corrode
• eat
• fret
• gnaw
• nibble

Examples of erode in a Sentence

Crashing waves have eroded the cliffs along the beach.

The shoreline has eroded badly.

Recent Examples on the Web

Some industry leaders likewise wonder whether the Swiss Made label has begun to erode the very trust it was intended to secure, but few if any brands are actively clarifying their practices in marketing materials. —Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 17 Feb. 2025

Any government efforts to erode this fundamental freedom deserve condemnation. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025

Those prints found in clay are known to erode away in a matter of days or weeks — just like fresh animal tracks, the company says. —Mark Price, Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2025

Cassidy’s professed belief in Kennedy’s leadership offers a soothing vision: Imagine Americans whose views on the public-health establishment have been deeply eroded over time, all with their faith restored in one of the world’s most rigorous scientific institutions thanks to a radical outsider. —Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 13 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin erodere to eat away, from e- + rodere to gnaw — more at rodent

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

erode

verb

i-ˈrōd 

eroded; eroding

1

a

: to destroy gradually by chemical means : corrode

b

: to wear away by or as if by the action of water, wind, or glacial ice

2

: to undergo erosion

Etymology

from Latin erodere "to eat away," from e- "away" and rodere "to gnaw" — related to rodent

Medical Definition

erode

transitive verb

i-ˈrōd 

eroded; eroding

1

: to eat into or away by slow destruction of substance (as by acid, infection, or cancer)

acids that erode the teeth

bone eroded by cancer

2

: to remove with an abrasive

a dental tool that erodes the decayed area