wear away
Slowly grind down
To wear away is to erode or diminish gradually through friction, use, or time.
Water wears away rock; footsteps wear away stone stairs.
The phrase works for physical erosion The waves had worn away the cliff face and figurative attrition Years of criticism wore away her confidence.
Something that wears away disappears slowly rather than breaking suddenly.
Diminish through persistent friction
- abradeErode through friction
- scourClean by hard rubbing
- weatherAtmospheric state outdoors
- corrodeDestroy through chemical action
denude · wash out · undermine · gully · ravine · canyon · riverbank · soil loss
Apply friction manually
Organic breakdown process
- decomposeBreak into simpler parts
- crumbleFragment gradually
- disintegrateBreak into fragments
- corrodeDestroy through chemical action
rust · molder · deteriorate · perish · wither · tarnish · oxidize · pit
Grow worse over time
- crumbleFragment gradually
- ruinComplete destruction or collapse
- disrepairPoor maintained condition
- decrepitudeWornness from age
derelict · neglect · ramshackle · tumbledown · blight · collapse · worn · shabby
reduce
Make smaller in degree
shrink · waste · weaken · sap · exhaust · dwindle · fade · erode · whittle · attenuate
erode
Diminish through persistent friction
corrode · denude · wash out · undermine · gully · ravine · canyon · riverbank · soil loss · bank erosion
rub
Apply friction manually
sand · buff · polish · scour · rasp · file · abrade · fret · gall · smooth
rot
Organic breakdown process
- decomposeBreak into simpler parts
- crumbleFragment gradually
- disintegrateBreak into fragments
corrode · rust · molder · deteriorate · perish · wither · tarnish · oxidize · pit · flake
deteriorate
Grow worse over time
decrepitude · derelict · neglect · ramshackle · tumbledown · blight · collapse · worn · shabby · weathered