wears away
Slowly breaks down
To wear away is to gradually erode or diminish through friction, weather, or time: The river wore away the rock over centuries, Years of foot traffic had worn away the stone steps.
The phrase applies equally to physical surfaces and abstract things: His patience wore away as the delays mounted.
- corrodeDestroy through chemical action
- erosionGradual wearing away
- water erosionLand worn by flowing liquid
- attritionGradual reduction through loss
- abrasionShallow surface wound
abrade · decay · weathering · rusting · degradation · deterioration · gradual decline · crumbling · falling apart · chipping · leaching · entropy · slow burn · impermanence · transience · sands of time · sanding · rotting
wears awaybuilds up
Accumulates gradually
accumulates · accretes · strengthens · deposits · sediments
wears awaypreserves
Cooked fruit in sugar
protects · maintains · conserves · fortifies · reinforces
wears awayshatters
Breaks into fragments
explodes · smashes · bursts · demolishes · obliterates
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