eroding

Everyday

1. Slowly wearing away rock, soil or land by wind, water or ice. tree →
2. Being slowly worn away. tree →
3. Slowly making something weaker or smaller, such as trust or savings. tree →

In the lessons

In geography and science, waves are eroding cliffs, rivers are eroding valleys, and wind is eroding rocks into strange shapes. In everyday and money talk, «eroding trust» or «rising prices eroding savings» shows something getting weaker little by little. Phrases: «eroding the coast», «eroding away», «eroding confidence».

Examples

• The sea is eroding the cliffs every winter. tree →
• The river is slowly eroding its banks. tree →
• Houses near the eroding coast may fall into the sea. tree →
• Wind is eroding the soft sandstone. tree →
• His lies are eroding her trust in him. tree →
• Rising prices are eroding the value of our pocket money. tree →

Note

Form of «erode»; drop the «e» before «-ing». Noun: erosion. Trap: erosion (wearing away and carrying off) is different from weathering (breaking rock where it is).