adj

abrasive

uh-BRAY-sihv

adj

Rough enough to grind or wear away a surface through friction.

"The cleaning pad has an abrasive side for tough stains."

Harsh and unpleasantly blunt in manner, tending to irritate others.

"His abrasive management style drove several employees to quit."

"She softened her naturally abrasive tone during the interview."

noun

A substance, such as sandpaper or pumice, used for grinding, polishing, or smoothing.

"Use a fine abrasive to remove the old varnish."

How to Use Abrasive

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither something physically rough enough to scrape a surface, or a person whose manner is unpleasantly harsh.

Common mistake

When describing personality, abrasive is always negative — it means harsh and grating, not simply direct or confident.

Common pairings

abrasive personality abrasive manner mildly abrasive

more abrasive comparative, abrasives plural, most abrasive superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

The cleaning pad has an _____ side for tough stains.

Borrowed from Medieval Latin abrasivus, built on the same root as "abrasion" and "abrade."

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