corrosive

1 of 2

adjective

cor·​ro·​sive kə-ˈrō-siv How to pronounce corrosive (audio)
-ziv
Synonyms of corrosive
1
: tending or having the power to corrode
corrosive acids
corrosive action
the corrosive effects of alcoholism
2
: bitingly sarcastic
corrosive satire
corrosive noun
corrosively adverb
corrosiveness noun

corrosiveness

2 of 2

noun

cor·​ro·​sive·​ness
kə-ˈrō-siv-nəs, 
-ziv-
plural -es
: the quality or state of being corrosive : the tendency to corrode

Synonyms of corrosive

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Adjective

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Examples of corrosive in a Sentence

Adjective She argues that racism is dangerous and corrosive to society. a corrosive satire on the fashion industry and its movers and shakers
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Adjective
If Mendelson wins next Tuesday, Bolton’s corrosive influence in Tamarac will be lessened. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 27 Oct. 2026 But even for those of us who still have jobs, something corrosive is happening. — Brian Jenney, IEEE Spectrum, 23 Oct. 2026 The main bottleneck has always been finding an electrode material that can survive these hot, corrosive conditions while driving the chemical split quickly. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026 Star’s Tech Eco-St promises to de-ice much more effectively than traditional road salt with almost none of the corrosive effect on steel. — Martin Cizmar, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for corrosive

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English corrosif, borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin corrōsīvus, from Latin corrōsus, past participle of corrōdere "to gnaw, corrode" + -īvus -ive

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of corrosive was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing corrosive

Rhymes for corrosive

See All Rhymes for corrosive

Browse Nearby Words

corrosion fatigue
corrosive
corrosively
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Corrosive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/corrosive. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

corrosive

adjective
cor·​ro·​sive kə-ˈrō-siv How to pronounce corrosive (audio)
-ziv
: tending or having the power to corrode
corrosive acids
corrosive noun
corrosively adverb
corrosiveness noun

Medical Definition

corrosive

1 of 2 adjective
cor·​ro·​sive -ˈrō-siv, -ziv How to pronounce corrosive (audio)
: tending or having the power to corrode
corrosive acids
a corrosive gas
corrosiveness noun

corrosive

2 of 2 noun
: a substance that corrodes : caustic
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