Synonyms

erode

American

[ih-rohd] / ɪˈroʊd /

verb (used with object)

eroded, eroding

to eat into or away; destroy by slow consumption or disintegration.

Battery acid had eroded the engine. Inflation erodes the value of our money.

Synonyms:

spoil, ravage, waste, corrode

Antonyms:

reinforce, strengthen
to form (a gully, butte, or the like) by erosion.

verb (used without object)

eroded, eroding

to become eroded.

erode British

/ ɪˈrəʊd /

verb

to grind or wear down or away or become ground or worn down or away
to deteriorate or cause to deteriorate

jealousy eroded the relationship
(tr; usually passive) pathol to remove (tissue) by ulceration

"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

Other Word Forms

erodability noun
erodable adjective
erodent adjective
erodibility noun
erodible adjective
erosible adjective
noneroded adjective
noneroding adjective
unerodable adjective
uneroded adjective
unerodible adjective
uneroding adjective

Etymology

Origin of erode

First recorded in 1605–15; from French ė́roder or directly from Latin ērōdere, equivalent to ē- “out of, from” + rōdere “to gnaw”; e- ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"At a time when parents, pediatricians and the public are looking for clear guidance and accurate information, this ill-considered decision will sow further chaos and confusion and erode confidence in immunizations," Dr. Racine added.

From BBC

But inflation erodes most safe assets, not just annuities.

From The Wall Street Journal

Bicentennial, which followed “a decade of racial tensions, assassinations, scandal, rising inflation, embattled campuses and eroding public trust,” also privileged heritage over history.

From Salon

Critics warned that dropping expert oversight could erode trust and reliability in the digital information landscape, especially when profit-driven platforms are mostly left to police themselves.

From Salon

China is no longer the biggest overseas buyer as its own brands erode the dominance once enjoyed by Japanese and Korean imports.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023