erosion

erosion — noun

1. the natural process by which wind, water, or ice slowly wears away and carries o

1.名詞B2
釋義

the natural process by which wind, water, or ice slowly wears away and carries off rock, soil, or other material from the Earth's surface

例句

The cliffs near Amira's hometown show clear signs of erosion from ocean waves.

uncountable noun with the definite article

Farmers in Kenya plant trees along riverbanks to slow soil erosion during the rainy season.

verb pattern: plant + [noun] + to slow + erosion

同義詞
  • wearing away

    more descriptive everyday language, less technical

  • abrasion

    refers specifically to scraping or rubbing action, narrower in meaning

  • corrasion

    a specialist geological term for mechanical wearing by transported particles

反義詞
  • deposition

    the geological process of sediment being laid down, opposite of material removal

  • accumulation

    the build-up of material rather than its removal

文法句型

erosion + of + [material] + by + [natural force]

用法筆記

This sense is the literal, physical meaning and is the most common use of the word. The subject is typically a natural feature (cliff, soil, coastline) and the agent is a natural force (wind, water, ice, waves).

常見錯誤

❌The cliff was damaged by weather erosion.
✅The cliff was damaged by erosion from the weather.
💡Avoid using 'erosion' as an adjective before another noun when a prepositional phrase is more natural.

2. the progressive loss of an intangible quality such as trust, authority, moral st

2.名詞B2
釋義

the progressive loss of an intangible quality such as trust, authority, moral standards, or social stability, which becomes weaker little by little

例句

The recent budget cuts caused a slow erosion of public trust in the local hospital.

pattern: erosion of + [abstract noun]

Many schoolteachers worry about the erosion of reading habits among teenagers who use phones constantly.

erosion of + [general behaviour] as abstract quality

同義詞
  • decline

    more general; does not imply a gradual, ongoing external force

  • wearing down

    more informal; suggests persistent pressure over time

  • undermining

    suggests deliberate or hidden gradual destruction, often of authority or confidence

  • attrition

    suggests reduction through natural loss or sustained pressure, common in business and military contexts

反義詞
  • strengthening

    the building up or reinforcing of an abstract quality

  • restoration

    bringing back a quality or situation that had been lost

文法句型

the erosion + of + [abstract noun phrase]

用法筆記

This figurative sense always describes a negative, undesirable change. The object is an abstract quality that is seen as valuable — never a physical substance. Distinguish from sense 1 (GEOLOGICAL WEAR), which refers to physical material being removed by natural forces.

常見錯誤

❌The erosion of the building was clear.' (when referring to physical damage)
✅The erosion of the building's foundations was clear.
💡For physical damage to a man-made structure, specify what is being eroded (foundations, plaster) rather than using erosion vaguely for the whole structure.