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Definitions

abrasive

[uh-brey-siv, -ziv] / əˈbreɪ sɪv, -zɪv /


NOUN
substance for polishing
Synonyms
STRONGEST
STRONG


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.

This abrasive quality is what allows the sponge to "erase" stains.

From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026

They often abandon traditional pop music structures, they don’t shy away from abrasive arrangements, and Ayewa’s lyricism speaks directly to the soul.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

Sparkling and rebarbative, abrasive and relentlessly performative, it is, in other words, classic Will Self.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

He is a big, abrasive scrummager - his line-out darts are maybe his weakest area.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

He’d spent time with Nixon and found him abrasive and inflexible.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin




Vocabulary lists containing abrasive