CEFR C1

abrade

verb

Meaning

Wear away or scrape off a surface through friction or mechanical action.

Examples

The constant rubbing of the tight shoes began to abrade the back of his heels.
Glaciers abrade the underlying rock as they slowly move down the mountain valley.

Synonyms: scrape, rub, chafe, erode, corrade

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abrade (C1)

verb

Pronunciation: /əˈbreɪd/

Definition

Wear away or scrape off a surface through friction or mechanical action.

Examples

The constant rubbing of the tight shoes began to abrade the back of his heels.
Glaciers abrade the underlying rock as they slowly move down the mountain valley.
Sand particles carried by the wind can abrade the surface of stone monuments over time.

How to Use abrade

abrade something (collocation): Transitive verb meaning to wear down a specific object. — "The sandstorm will abrade the paint on the car."
be abraded by something (prepositional phrase): Passive construction describing the cause of wear. — "The rock was abraded by centuries of flowing water."

Synonyms of abrade

Words with a similar meaning to abrade:

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