abrasive

American  

[uh-brey-siv, -ziv] / əˈbreɪ sɪv, -zɪv /

noun

1. any material or substance used for grinding, polishing, etc., as emery, pumice, or sandpaper.

---

adjective

1. tending to abrade; causing abrasion; abrading.

   Synonyms:

   rasping, rough, harsh

2. tending to annoy or cause ill will; overly aggressive.

   an abrasive personality.

abrasive British  

/ əˈbreɪsɪv /

noun

1. a substance or material such as sandpaper, pumice, or emery, used for cleaning, grinding, smoothing, or polishing

---

adjective

1. causing abrasion; grating; rough

2. irritating in manner or personality; causing tension or annoyance

Other Word Forms

• abrasively adverb
• abrasiveness noun
• unabrasive adjective
• unabrasively adverb

Etymology

Origin of abrasive

1870–75; < Latin abrās ( us ) ( abrasion ) + -ive

Example Sentences

They often abandon traditional pop music structures, they don’t shy away from abrasive arrangements, and Ayewa’s lyricism speaks directly to the soul.

From Los Angeles Times

Sparkling and rebarbative, abrasive and relentlessly performative, it is, in other words, classic Will Self.

From The Wall Street Journal

Before taking time off, the band had settled into making sleek, shimmery retro-disco tracks like Dynamite and Butter - designed to appeal to the sort of listener who finds Bruno Mars too crass and abrasive.

From BBC

"Within 24 hours, my relationship to its wild, abrasive, exuberant, heart-filled yet harsh ferocity was sealed," she recalls.

From BBC

Prasad is facing several personnel complaints from staff who found him abrasive and hard to work with, and taxpayers are paying for his commute from California to the FDA’s Maryland headquarters, The Journal has reported.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• annoying
• biting
• caustic
• harsh
• irritating