eroded

Everyday

1. Eroded means worn away slowly by wind, water, ice or waves. tree →
2. (figurative) Eroded means made weaker little by little, like trust or confidence. tree →

In the lessons

In geography lessons pupils learn how rivers, sea, rain and wind erode rocks and soil, making cliffs, caves, arches and canyons. In everyday life and the news it means something has slowly weakened: «Her confidence was eroded». Related: erosion, weathering, deposition.

Examples

• The cliffs have been eroded by the sea. tree →
• The river eroded the rock and made a deep canyon. tree →
• Strong winds eroded the soil on the farm. tree →
• The old statue's face was eroded by rain. tree →
• Houses fell when the coast eroded. tree →
• His trust in his friend was eroded by lies. tree →
• The Grand Canyon was eroded by the Colorado River over millions of years. tree →

Note

Past form of the regular verb erode. Noun: erosion. In geography, erosion (wearing away and carrying off) is slightly different from weathering (breaking down rocks in place). Pronounced «ih-ROH-did».