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.

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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

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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

Explanation

What does an obnoxious person have in common with sandpaper? Both are abrasive. Anything that grates or irritates — physically or metaphorically — can be described using this adjective. The history of the word abrasive illustrates how a word typically enters the English language and then changes with time. The English verb abrade, "to wear down by scraping," entered the language from Latin abradere, "to scrape off," in the late 1600s. Some 200 years later, the adjective form of the word — abrasive — came into use to describe a type of grinding tool. By the 1920s, abrasive had acquired the more figurative sense of annoying and infuriating. If you find someone abrasive, he or she grinds away at your nerves.

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 • Mar. 31, 2026

Lawyers who have appeared before Hellerstein say he can be curious and engaged, although at times becomes abrasive by the afternoon of a long trial day.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

Delivering in more big European games will make it hard for Borthwick to keep overlooking the number eight, who has an abrasive style that differs from the current dynamic England ball carriers.

From BBC • Jan. 9, 2026

As Martin, Charles stiffens himself and keeps his facial expressions generally between neutral and annoyed, though he’s softer than Clunes, less a prisoner of his own body, less abrasive, less otherworldly.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 4, 2026

At the hospital room door, I watch Johanna for a moment, realize that most of her ferocity is in her abrasive attitude.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

Related Words

• annoying
• biting
• caustic
• harsh
• irritating