erode
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
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
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.
She said a Year 8 reading assessment would increase pressure on pupils at a point in their education when confidence matters most, and that it would narrow the curriculum and erode teacher autonomy.
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
Cut prices—as PepsiCo PEP 1.47%increase; green up pointing triangle and General Mills are now doing on some products—and you erode margins with no guarantee that volumes return.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026
The Bottom Line: Cyberattacks can lead to revenue loss and erode consumer trust, but academic research suggests that companies face short-term declines in share price after disclosing a data breach.
From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026
That’s when U.S. consumers could see their real incomes erode far beyond their ability to maintain spending.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026
They found it easily enough: a erode concrete shed with a red neon sign flashing irregularly over the door and the sound of loud voices through the condensation-frosted windows.
From "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
