Meaning & use
abrasive
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparabledisapproving
Harsh, rude, or unpleasant in a way that irritates people and creates friction.
Grammar: Describes a manner, tone, or personality; compare with more/most: a more abrasive response.
Patterns
- an abrasive manner
- an abrasive tone
- abrasive with someone
His abrasive tone made the meeting tense before any real discussion began.
She can seem abrasive with new staff, though she is fair under pressure.
The review called the host abrasive but energetic.
adjectivebefore a nounspecialist
Made of or used for rubbing, scraping, cleaning, smoothing, or polishing a surface.
Grammar: Usually comes before the noun it describes: abrasive paper, abrasive cleaner.
Patterns
- abrasive material
- abrasive cleaner
- abrasive cloth
Use fine abrasive paper between coats of paint.
Choose a nonabrasive cleaner for the glass screen.
The dentist used a mild abrasive paste to polish the enamel.
Word forms
| comparative | more abrasive |
|---|---|
| superlative | most abrasive |
Common combinations
- abrasive personality
- An abrasive personality can push away colleagues even when the work is good.
- abrasive manner
- The coach’s abrasive manner upset several players after the loss.
- abrasive material
- The workshop stores every abrasive material in sealed bins.
- mildly abrasive
- A mildly abrasive sponge removed the rust without scratching the sink.
Synonyms and how they differ
- harsh
- Harsh fits severe words or treatment; abrasive suggests a grating effect on people over time.
- rough
- Rough can describe texture or behavior; abrasive is stronger and implies rubbing people the wrong way.
- caustic
- Caustic is sharply sarcastic; abrasive is broader, including blunt, grating behavior.
Opposites
Word family
- abrasion noun
- A scrape or the wearing away of a surface.
- abrasively adverb
- In a harsh or grating manner.
- abrasiveness noun
- The quality of being harsh or irritating.
Commonly confused: abrasive or abusive? abrasive or abrupt?
abrasive vs abusive
Abusive means cruelly mistreating someone; abrasive means rude or irritating, not necessarily harmful.
abrasive vs abrupt
Abrupt means sudden; abrasive means harsh or surface-scraping.
Practice
Which word best fits: “His ___ comments during negotiations offended both clients.”
Choose one answer.
Abrasive comments are harsh and irritating, so they fit offending clients. Absorbent soaks up liquid, abundant means plentiful, and absent means missing.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “abrasive”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.