erode
verbUK /ɪˈɹəʊd/ · CA, US /ɪˈɹoʊd/
Etymology From French éroder, from Latin ērōdō.
1
To wear away by abrasion, corrosion, or chemical reaction.
- The cliff is gradually being eroded by the waves.
2
Figuratively To destroy gradually by an ongoing process.
- to erode a person’s trust
- to erode society’s morals
1 more example
- We've been worried about adolescents' diminishing writing and speaking skills for years. Lately, we have noticed that these skills are eroding at an accelerating rate, month-over-month.2025 December 9, Rachel Konrad and Matt Abrahams, “Why Young People Are Struggling to Communicate”, in TIME: