English vocabulary · B2
Abrasive
/əˈbreɪsɪv/ · adj.
If someone is abrasive, the way they act feels rough and can hurt people. They may not mean it, but it still feels hard to be near them.
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Example sentences
- His abrasive words made the room tense.
- The new coach has an abrasive style.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- ab — away (from Latin)
- ras — scrape (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- HARSH — not gentle or kind (Sounds Too Hard)
- RUDE — not polite to others (No Manners)
- GRATING — unpleasant and irritating (Annoys Like A Sound)
Words with the same root
ras — scrape
- erase — remove something completely, like writing
- razor — a tool used to cut or shave close to skin
- raze — destroy a building completely to the ground
Lesson notes
If someone is abrasive, the way they act feels rough and can hurt people. They may not mean it, but it still feels hard to be near them.
Related: harsh, rude, grating. Use abrasive when words feel rough and unkind.
His abrasive words made the room tense. The new coach has an abrasive style.
From Latin. Ab- means away. Ras- means scrape. Scraped away, it feels rough — that is abrasive.