eroding

e·rode

E0200200 (ĭ-rōd′)v. e·rod·ed, e·rod·ing, e·rodes v.tr.1. To wear (something) away by erosion: Waves eroded the shore.2. To eat into or eat away the substance of: Acidic water erodes pipes. Arthritis had eroded the cartilage.3. To make or form by wearing away: The river eroded a deep valley.4. To cause to diminish or deteriorate: "Long enduring peace often erodes popular resolution" (C.L. Sulzberger).v.intr.1. To become worn or eaten away: The cliffs have eroded over the centuries.2. To diminish or deteriorate: Public confidence in the administration eroded.

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[Latin ērōdere, to gnaw off, eat away : ē-, ex-, ex- + rōdere, to gnaw; see rēd- in Indo-European roots.]

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e·rod′i·bil′i·ty n.e·rod′i·ble adj.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

eroding - (geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)eating away, erosion, wearing, wearing awaygeology - a science that deals with the history of the earth as recorded in rockschatter mark - marks on a glaciated rock caused by the movement of a glacierablation - the erosive process that reduces the size of glaciersattrition, corrasion, detrition, abrasion - erosion by frictionbeach erosion - the erosion of beachesgeologic process, geological process - (geology) a natural process whereby geological features are modifieddeflation - (geology) the erosion of soil as a consequence of sand and dust and loose rocks being removed by the wind; "a constant deflation of the desert landscape"planation - the process of erosion whereby a level surface is producedsoil erosion - the washing away of soil by the flow of water