erosion

noun

ero·​sion i-ˈrō-zhən 

1

a

: the action or process of eroding

b

: the state of being eroded

2

: an instance or product of erosion

erosional

i-ˈrō-zh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

erosionally

i-ˈrō-zh(ə-)nəl-ē 

adverb

Synonyms

• attrition
• corrosion
• undermining
• waste

Examples of erosion in a Sentence

Landscapers planted grass to stop the erosion of the hillside.

Centuries of erosion by wind have carved grooves in the rocks.

Recent Examples on the Web

As streaming has fueled the steady erosion of the pay-TV industry, the moves by otherwise competing media companies to partner up on streaming bundles looks like an attempt to reconstitute cable TV. —Todd Spangler, Variety, 8 May 2024

An appeals court on Wednesday granted the Hong Kong government's request to ban a popular protest song, overturning an earlier ruling and deepening concerns over the erosion of freedoms in the once-freewheeling global financial hub. —Fox News, 8 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing erosion

• gully erosion

Kids Definition

erosion

noun

ero·​sion i-ˈrō-zhən 

: the action or process of eroding : the state of being eroded

erosional

-ˈrōzh-nəl 

-ˈrō-zhən-ᵊl

adjective

Medical Definition

erosion

noun

ero·​sion i-ˈrō-zhən 

1

a

: the superficial destruction of a surface area of tissue (as mucous membrane) by inflammation, ulceration, or trauma

erosion of the uterine cervix

b

: progressive loss of the hard substance of a tooth

2

: an instance or product of erosion

a circular erosion on the skin