What does "erosion" mean?
The result of having been worn away or eroded, as by a glacier on rock or the sea on a cliff face.
Erosion
/əˈɹoʊʒən/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The result of having been worn away or eroded, as by a glacier on rock or the sea on a cliff face.
- Grammar: erosion is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: ablation, abrading, abrasion, abrasion.
- Useful contrasts: bulk deposition, most coral-formation, accretion.
- Usage evidence: If the trees on that hill are cut down, you'll see erosion pretty quickly.
How to use "erosion"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "erosion" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "erosion" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "erosion" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "erosion" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "erosion" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ablation" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "erosion", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The result of having been worn away or eroded, as by a glacier on rock or the sea on a cliff face. uncountable
"Father Ted: The cliffs were gone? How could they just disappear? Dougal: Erosion."
- 2 erosion by chemical action wordnet
- 3 The changing of a surface by mechanical action, friction, thermal expansion contraction, or impact. uncountable
- 4 (geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it), also figuratively wordnet
- 5 The gradual loss of something as a result of an ongoing process. figuratively, uncountable
"the erosion of a person's trust"
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 a gradual decline of something wordnet
- 7 Destruction by abrasive action of fluids. uncountable
- 8 condition in which the earth's surface is worn away by the action of water and wind wordnet
- 9 One of two fundamental operations in morphological image processing from which all other morphological operations are derived. countable, uncountable
- 10 Loss of tooth enamel due to non-bacteriogenic chemical processes. countable, uncountable
- 11 A shallow ulceration or lesion, usually involving skin or epithelial tissue. countable, uncountable
- 12 In morphology, a basic operation (denoted ⊖); see Erosion (morphology). countable, uncountable
Antonyms
Example
"If the trees on that hill are cut down, you'll see erosion pretty quickly."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "erosion"?
Common synonyms include: ablation, abrading, abrasion, abrasion, abrasive, absorption.
How do you use "erosion" in a sentence?
If the trees on that hill are cut down, you'll see erosion pretty quickly.
How do you pronounce "erosion"?
Pronounced /əˈɹoʊʒən/.
Etymology
From Middle French erosion, from Latin ērōsiō (“eating away”), derived from ērōdō. The first known occurrence in English was in the 1541 translation by Robert Copland of Guy de Chauliac's medical text The Questyonary of Cyrurygens. Copland used erosion to describe how ulcers developed in the mouth. By 1774 erosion was used outside medical subjects. Oliver Goldsmith employed the term in the more contemporary geological context, in his book Natural History, with the quote : "Bounds are thus put to the erosion of the earth by water."