erosion

American  

[ih-roh-zhuhn] / ɪˈroʊ ʒən /

noun

1. the act or state of eroding; state of being eroded.

2. the process by which the surface of the earth is worn away by the action of water, glaciers, winds, waves, etc.

3. the gradual decline or disintegration of something.

   Each candidate is blaming the other’s party for the erosion of international trade.

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erosion British  

/ ɪˈrəʊʒən /

noun

1. the wearing away of rocks and other deposits on the earth's surface by the action of water, ice, wind, etc

2. the act or process of eroding or the state of being eroded

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erosion Scientific  

/ ĭ-rō′zhən /

1. The gradual wearing away of land surface materials, especially rocks, sediments, and soils, by the action of water, wind, or a glacier. Usually erosion also involves the transport of eroded material from one place to another, as from the top of a mountain to an adjacent valley, or from the upstream portion of a river to the downstream portion.

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erosion Cultural  

1. A type of weathering in which surface soil and rock are worn away through the action of glaciers, water, and wind.

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Other Word Forms

• antierosion
  adjective
• erosional
  adjective
• erosive
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of erosion

First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin ērōsiōn- (stem of ērōsiō ), derivative of ērōdere “to gnaw, eat away”; see origin at erode, -ion

Explanation

The Grand Canyon is a monumental example of erosion—the entire canyon was carved by the flow of the Colorado River, which slowly dug the canyon out of stone over the course of eons. Erosion is the wearing away of sand, soil, or rock by water or wind. But it also has a metaphorical sense. The erosion of standards for behavior in society means that our grandparents would be shocked by what passes for good manners today.

Example Sentences

In the summer of 2024, State Parks closed all access to the waterfall for the season to repair trails and slopes damaged by heavy crowds and storm erosion.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

Then technical issues repeatedly postponed the mission: hydrogen leaks, failures in helium flow, unexpected erosion of the heat shield.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

The evidence points to more intensive farming methods, such as ridge and furrow ploughing to limit erosion and more focused gardening practices.

From Science Daily • Apr. 27, 2026

The company had been facing a laundry list of potentially existential issues, like repeated technological missteps and an erosion of market share.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 24, 2026

One project looked at the local effects of climate change by measuring the erosion of the cliffs along the coastline.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Related Words

• corrosion
• decrease
• destruction
• disintegration