to abrase
- verb
- /əˈbreɪz/
- Archaic
- The technician used a fine grit paper to abrase the metal before painting.
Examples
-
Years of wind and sand have slowly abrased the surface of the ancient monument.
-
The rough stone will abrase the paint on the car.
-
Repeated washing can abrase delicate fabrics, causing them to thin over time.
-
Over time, the constant friction will abrase the surface.
-
The sandpaper will abrase the wood, making it smooth and ready for finishing.
-
Waves can abrase the shoreline over time, reshaping the landscape.
-
Constant friction will abrase the surface of the metal until it becomes shiny.
Synonyms
Gradually make someone's trust, belief, or support weaker over time
To rub material off a surface with something hard or sharp
Damage the surface of something by writing, scratching, or painting it
To damage something slowly over time, for example a building or a person's confidence
Remove dirt or marks from a surface by rubbing with a cloth
Slowly damages metal, rock and someone's confidence by chemicals or steady pressure
To come off in thin layers, like peeling bark
The surface wears away when something rubs or scrapes it
To make something look less perfect or attractive
Wear a surface away slowly by rubbing, or make someone very tired
To slowly remove material by rubbing or long use
To damage how something looks or its quality
Wear away skin or material by rubbing
Remove a mark by moving a cloth or hand over it many times
To remove the top layer of something by rubbing it with sandpaper
Erase a mark by using an eraser or cloth until it disappears
Remove material from a surface by melting, wearing away, or burning
To wear a surface down by rubbing
To wear away a surface slowly by rubbing
To make a surface smooth by moving something over it
To rub something so it becomes damaged at the edges
To wear away rock when water or wind rubs it
To remove paint, varnish, or polish from an object
Antonyms
How Abrasive
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word abrase comes from Latin parts ab- 'away' and radere 'to scrape'. So to abrase something is to 'scrape away' its surface, like an abrasive or sandpaper slowly wearing a material down.