abrasive

[uh-brey-siv, -ziv]

See more synonyms for abrasive on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

adjective

tending to abrade; causing abrasion; abrading.
tending to annoy or cause ill will; overly aggressive: an abrasive personality.

Origin of abrasive

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

Related formsa·bra·sive·ly, adverba·bra·sive·ness, nounun·a·bra·sive, adjectiveun·a·bra·sive·ly, adverb

Synonyms

See more synonyms for abrasive on Thesaurus.com

2. harsh, rough, rasping.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for abrasive

Contemporary Examples

In her newest EP Love Your Boyfriend, she takes the messaging of love songs and places it in an abrasive, sonic package.
From Church of Christ to Pansexual Rapper
Tyler Gillespie
November 28, 2014
The sound of the record, meanwhile, is ideal: not too smooth, not too abrasive.
The Band’s ‘Rock of Ages’ Is the Greatest Live Album Ever
Andrew Romano
October 14, 2013
He stayed away from the gym for a while and came back transformed, abrasive and rude when he had once been polite and respectful.
Boston Suspects Tamerlan & Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, From Boxing to Bombs
Michael Daly
April 20, 2013
There is a sense that House of Cards reflects the infighting and abrasive atmosphere of the political sphere at the time.
Rewind: BBC’s Iconic Political Thriller ‘House of Cards’ Still Captivates
Jace Lacob
January 17, 2013
In contrast to the abrasive and high-handed Zakir, Ibrahim is an admired figure among the insurgents.
Pakistan Frees Wave of Taliban Prisoners
Ron Moreau
January 11, 2013

Historical Examples

Feldspar as an abrasive is used mainly in scouring soaps and window-wash.
The Economic Aspect of Geology
C. K. Leith
It had every appearance of having been tampered with; sand or some other abrasive put into it.
Pirates' Hope
Francis Lynde
It has an extensive use as an abrasive for grinding and polishing.
Beacon Lights of History, Volume XIV
John Lord
No doubt its only use was as an abrasive, after being pounded fine.
Archeological Investigations
Gerard Fowke
Certainly this was no place to set down the full weight of Astro nor to protect the crew and equipment from abrasive dust.
The Quantum Jump
Robert Wicks

British Dictionary definitions for abrasive

abrasive

noun

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

adjective

causing abrasion; grating; rough
irritating in manner or personality; causing tension or annoyance

Derived Formsabrasiveness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for abrasive

n.

"an abrasive substance," 1853, from abrasive (adj.).

adj.

1805, from Latin abras-, past participle stem of abradere (see abrasion) + -ive. Figurative sense of "tending to provoke anger" is first recorded 1925. Related: Abrasively; abrasiveness.

abrasive in Medicine

abrasive

(ə-brā′sĭv)

adj.

Causing abrasion.

A material used to produce abrasion.

abrasive

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}abrasive

Synonyms

Examples from the Web for abrasive

Contemporary Examples

In her newest EP Love Your Boyfriend, she takes the messaging of love songs and places it in an abrasive, sonic package.

The sound of the record, meanwhile, is ideal: not too smooth, not too abrasive.

He stayed away from the gym for a while and came back transformed, abrasive and rude when he had once been polite and respectful.

There is a sense that House of Cards reflects the infighting and abrasive atmosphere of the political sphere at the time.

In contrast to the abrasive and high-handed Zakir, Ibrahim is an admired figure among the insurgents.

Historical Examples

Feldspar as an abrasive is used mainly in scouring soaps and window-wash.

It had every appearance of having been tampered with; sand or some other abrasive put into it.

It has an extensive use as an abrasive for grinding and polishing.

No doubt its only use was as an abrasive, after being pounded fine.

Certainly this was no place to set down the full weight of Astro nor to protect the crew and equipment from abrasive dust.

abrasive

Word Origin and History for abrasive

n.

adj.

abrasive

Origin of abrasive