Corrode and Erode both describe gradual destruction—of two different kinds.
Erode means “to gradually destroy, reduce, or wear down, by abrasion”; abrasion means any action that removes tiny pieces of something bit by bit, such as the action of wind and water on rocks:
The Utah desert contains many beautiful rock formations created by wind or water, which eroded the rock over millions of years.
Although we can use the word abrasion to talk about skin damage, we do not use erode for skin, because skin is destroyed too quickly to be called erosion.
Corrode means “to gradually destroy or weaken, through chemical reaction, such as with rust or acid”:
The metal roof of the building was corroding from years of acid rain.
Both these words are also often used with metaphorical meanings:
Fake news can begin to erode the knowledge of truth in a society.
Racism corrodes justice in our society.
These metaphors imply that truth, justice, and morality are like rock or steel that can be slowly destroyed by lies and hatred.
More Examples of How to Use "Corrode" in a Sentence
- The pipes under the sink started to corrode, causing rusty-brown water to leak and damage the wood cabinets.
- The material's properties can be designed to minimize corrosion and increase service life.
- The acid corroded the metal support beams, further jeopardizing the structural integrity of the aging bridge.
- The gardener used some corrosive chemicals to clean the rust off of the swing set.
- The corroded screw wouldn't come out.
- The battery acid had corroded the metal on the car.
- Acidic rain began to corrode the paint on my new car.
- The statue’s corroded metal was evident from the green patina on the surface.
- William tried to clean the corroded coins, but it was no use.
More Examples of How to Use "Erode" in a Sentence
- Look at how the beach erodes!
- The erosion of the coastline has been a problem for many years.
- This company has been eroding away its market share for years.
- The rock face was eroding because of the constant wind.
- Over the years, the acid in the sink eroded the chrome plating on the faucet.
- The newspaper business has been eroding for years, as more and more readers get their news online.
- The speaker was eroding his credibility by the second, as he talked about conspiracy theories to a stunned audience.
- She spent her vacation at the beach, allowing the ocean waves to erode her worries away.
- As the ground erodes, sinkholes are likely to form.