erode
verb /ɪˈrəʊd/
/ɪˈrəʊd/
[often passive]Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they erode | /ɪˈrəʊd/ /ɪˈrəʊd/ |
he / she / it erodes | /ɪˈrəʊdz/ /ɪˈrəʊdz/ |
past simple eroded | /ɪˈrəʊdɪd/ /ɪˈrəʊdɪd/ |
past participle eroded | /ɪˈrəʊdɪd/ /ɪˈrəʊdɪd/ |
-ing form eroding | /ɪˈrəʊdɪŋ/ /ɪˈrəʊdɪŋ/ |
- [transitive, intransitive] to gradually destroy the surface of something through the action of wind, rain, etc.; to be gradually destroyed in this way synonym wear away
- be eroded (away) The cliff face has been steadily eroded by the sea.
- erode (away) The rocks have eroded away over time.
Extra ExamplesTopics Geographyc1- The river bank had been steadily eroded over the years.
- Without adequate protection from plants, the river banks began to erode.
- Walkers should stick to obvious paths, even if they are badly eroded.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- badly
- seriously
- severely
- …
- begin to
- start to
- continue to
- …
- [transitive, intransitive] to gradually destroy something or make it weaker over a period of time; to be destroyed or made weaker in this way
- be eroded (by something) Her confidence has been slowly eroded by repeated failures.
- Mortgage payments have been eroded (= decreased in value) by inflation.
- erode something The experience had seriously eroded his confidence in himself.
- erode (away) All my security has slowly eroded away.
Extra Examples- We live in a world whose moral base has been eroded.
- Price rises have eroded profit margins.
- the commercial pressures that threaten to erode local traditions
- The pressure towards uniformity that constantly threatens to erode local traditions.
- The distinction between social classes is slowly being eroded.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- badly
- seriously
- severely
- …
- begin to
- start to
- continue to
- …
Word Originearly 17th cent.: from French éroder or Latin erodere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out, away’ + rodere ‘gnaw’.