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abrasiveness

abrasiveness

6.8
A rough quality that scratches or wears away a surface
  • noun
  • /əˈbreɪsɪvnəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : abrasividad
  • "It is predicted that the GMR films will mimic properties of diamonds such as thermal conductivity, abrasiveness, electrical insulation, chemical inertness (resistance to chemical damage), and optical transparency.

Examples

  • The abrasiveness of the sandpaper helped to smooth the rough edges of the wood.

  • Mmmm, come to think of it, I wouldn't worry about the residue of the toothpaste as much as the abrasiveness, because

    Blog text (24)
  • You should consider the abrasiveness of various cleaners before using them on delicate surfaces.

  • The abrasiveness of the scrub pad made it effective for removing tough stains from the countertop.

Synonyms

harshness
vsabrasiveness
1 3.4

A rough surface that makes skin sore

focuses on wear and scraping effects rather than discomfort or coarseness
grittiness
vsabrasiveness
5.2

A rough, sandy feeling from small hard bits

is about causing wear or scraping rather than just texture
scratchiness
vsabrasiveness
4.6

A rough feeling on skin or fabric that makes it uncomfortable

refers to material that actually wears or scratches other materials
coarseness
vsabrasiveness
4.1

A rough texture that is not smooth

means material that actively abrades or scratches other items not just rough

Antonyms

5 1.9

An even surface without rough parts

3 1.8

A gentle, kind way of acting toward others

How Abrasive

steel wool
4 3.0
abrasiveness
  • Specialized
6.8
to sandpaper
1 5.1
scouring pad
1 3.1
sponge
77 1.0

Surface Forms

abrasiveness singular

Morphology

abrasiveness = abrasive (transparent) = abrade + ive + ness

The adjective 'abrasive' directly denotes the property of abrading, so forming a noun with '-ness' yields the expected meaning.

Etymology

Abrasiveness comes from the Latin parts ab- 'away' and radere 'to scrape', and originally described the power to wear something away by scraping. Think of sandpaper or a rough sponge that 'scrapes' a surface — that is why abrasiveness means a material's rough, wearing quality.