wearing away

ADJECTIVE

decaying

Synonyms

STRONGEST

collapsing crumbling deteriorating

STRONG

decomposing disintegrating eroding oxidizing rusting spoiling

WEAK

breaking down breaking up falling to pieces in ruins wasting away

NOUN

disappearance

Synonyms

STRONGEST

departure exodus loss removal

STRONG

desertion disintegration dispersal dissipation dissolution ebbing eclipse escape evanescence evaporation exit fading flight going melting passing receding recession retirement wane withdrawal

WEAK

ceasing to exist decline and fall dematerialization disappearing act

Antonyms

STRONGEST

arrival entrance

STRONG

stay staying

WEAK

appearance coming

NOUN

friction

Synonyms

STRONGEST

agitation erosion irritation resistance

STRONG

abrasion attrition chafing filing grating grinding massage rasping scraping soreness traction

WEAK

fretting trituration

Antonyms

WEAK

agreement harmony peace

NOUN

vanishment

Synonyms

WEAK

ceasing to exist decline and fall dematerialization departure desertion disappearing act disintegration dispersal dissipation dissolution ebbing eclipse escape evanescence evaporation exit exodus fade-out fading flight going loss melting passing receding recession removal retirement wane withdrawal

NOUN

wear and tear

Synonyms

STRONGEST

depletion depreciation erosion

WEAK

ablation attrition consumption decrement dissipation hard wear overuse ravages of time weathering

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.

Brake dust contains tiny bits of metal, black carbon and other particles that enter the air due to friction and the wearing away of braking materials.

From BBC • Aug. 4, 2025

The cause: a wearing away of the protective cartilage between joints in the foot.

From Washington Post • Jul. 18, 2022

Surgery to repair the meniscus revealed that cartilage was wearing away.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 14, 2021

Because it wasn’t a single epidemic, it was even harder to fight—it just steadily popped up, year after year, wearing away at the population.

From Slate • Feb. 9, 2021

He pulled the sweaty T-shirt he was wearing away from himself and looked down.

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

wearing away

Example Sentences

Related Words