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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

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

When I go back, I forget how strong the sound of the airplanes are, how abrasive and all-encompassing.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2026

Born in Bulgaria and raised in Switzerland, Zwicky came to the California Institute of Technology in the 1920s and there at once distinguished himself by his abrasive personality and erratic talents.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson




Vocabulary lists containing abrasive