Synonyms

erode

American

[ih-rohd] / ɪˈroʊd /

verb (used with object)

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)

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

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Present

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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”; see e- ¹

Explanation

When soil or land erodes, it wears away or is removed. Many beaches seem to get smaller and smaller, as the endless wash of the waves begins to erode the fine sand. While erode is most commonly used when describing land loss, you can also use it in less literal ways. Numerous hospital bills can cause your savings to erode. Each time you catch your friend in a lie, your trust in her erodes a little more. Consumer confidence is eroding away as the media reports more and more bad economic news. What’s key here is both the sense of loss, as well as the idea that it is a gradual process.

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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.

The standard criticism from trade economists is that optimal tariffs only work in theory because in practice retaliatory trade measures from other countries erode the benefits of our trade levies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026

Both processes erode DNA and result in localized loss of genetic material, Moldovan explained.

From Science Daily • Jun. 20, 2026

The more realistic approach is to build in a financial cushion even if years of soaring inflation and increasingly expensive healthcare erode your nest egg.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 15, 2026

Pessimism comes naturally to the bond market, largely because many of the dynamics that power other markets higher ultimately erode its value.

From Barron's • Jun. 15, 2026

He blamed Ron and Hermione: Their determined indifference was as bad as the relentless rain for dampening his spirits, but neither could erode his certainty, which remained absolute.

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

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