eroded; eroding
Synonyms of erodenext

transitive verb

1
: to diminish or destroy by degrees:
a
: to eat into or away by slow destruction of substance (as by acid, infection, or cancer)
b
: to wear away by the action of water, wind, or glacial ice
The flooding eroded the hillside.
c
: to cause to deteriorate or disappear as if by eating or wearing away
inflation eroding buying power
2
: to produce or form by eroding
glaciers erode U-shaped valleys

intransitive verb

: to undergo erosion
where the land has eroded away
erodible adjective

erodibility

2 of 2

noun

erod·​ibil·​i·​ty
variants or less commonly erodability
⸗ˌrōdəˈbilətē
plural -es
: the quality or degree of being erodible
especially : rate of soil erosion
the erodibility of soils varies with their composition

Examples of erode in a Sentence

Verb Crashing waves have eroded the cliffs along the beach. The shoreline has eroded badly.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
If your portfolio isn't growing enough to keep pace with rising costs, your purchasing power can slowly erode. Andrew Rosen, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 For instance, if a player has a bad night’s sleep before a match and their readiness score is down, that could get into their head and erode confidence. Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 5 July 2026 Fierce domestic competition has eroded its footprint in China, one of its most important markets. Andrew Staples, Fortune, 3 July 2026 He was faced with maintaining public safety while also avoiding appearing to work hand-in-hand with federal immigration authorities — a stance that could erode community trust and ignite new protests. ABC News, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for erode

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Latin erodere to eat away, from e- + rodere to gnaw — more at rodent

First Known Use

Verb

1612, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of erode was in 1612

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Erode.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/erode. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

eroded; eroding
1
a
: to destroy gradually by chemical means : corrode
b
: to wear away by or as if by the action of water, wind, or glacial ice
2
: to undergo erosion
Etymology

Verb

from Latin erodere "to eat away," from e- "away" and rodere "to gnaw" — related to rodent

Medical Definition

eroded; eroding
1
: to eat into or away by slow destruction of substance (as by acid, infection, or cancer)
acids that erode the teeth
bone eroded by cancer
2
: to remove with an abrasive
a dental tool that erodes the decayed area

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