Sample Sentences for
abrasive
grouped by contextual meaning
(editor-reviewed)

abrasive as in:  abrasive personality

•
Despite her brilliant ideas, her abrasive personality often led to conflicts within the team.
abrasive = direct in a disagreeable, insensitive manner
Show 3 more with this contextual meaning
  • •
    Her abrasive comments during the meeting left everyone feeling a bit uncomfortable.
  • •
    She has an abrasive personality.
  • •
    His voice was abrasive, but he brought it back to a muffled whisper in a hurry.  (source)
    abrasive = rough or disagreeable
▲ show less (of above)
Show 10 more with 2 word variations
  • •
    Grant knew that Ian Malcolm had his share of detractors, and he could understand why some found his style too abrasive, and his applications of chaos theory too glib.  (source)
    abrasive = direct in a disagreeable, insensitive manner
  • •
    "Why wasn't the Agency informed of this tip you received seven months ago?" asked the CIA's Knowlton abrasively.†  (source)
  • •
    At the hospital room door, I watch Johanna for a moment, realize that most of her ferocity is in her abrasive attitude.  (source)
    abrasive = insensitive and disagreeable
  • •
    She laughed abrasively.†  (source)
  • •
    The Amy of today was abrasive enough to want to hurt, sometimes.  (source)
    abrasive = rough or disagreeable
  • •
    Rather abrasively.†  (source)
  • •
    He rolled along with every inexplicable order from his superiors, every foolish act of his inferiors, and every abrasive personality that military life could throw at an officer.  (source)
  • •
    It's unfair to say anything negative about Pandora when she can't defend herself, but she was hard, very often abrasive.  (source)
    abrasive = insensitive and disagreeable
  • •
    The others heard it then—an abrasive slithering, distant and growing louder.†  (source)
  • •
    That can be used in industrial tools, as an abrasive, in the jewelry trade?†  (source)
▲ show less (of above)

abrasive as in:  rub with an abrasive

Show 3 more with this contextual meaning
  • •
    Sandpaper is an abrasive material commonly used in woodworking to smooth surfaces.
    abrasive = a rough substance that can be rubbed against something else to make smooth
  • •
    The jeweler carefully used a fine-grit abrasive paste to bring out the luster of the antique ring.
    abrasive = a rough substance that can be rubbed against something else to polish or clean
  • •
    He cleaned it with an abrasive.
▲ show less (of above)
Show 5 more with 3 word variations
  • •
    I pull a napkin out of the holder and wipe the abrasive paper across my eyes.  (source)
    abrasive = rough (a substance that abrades or wears away what it rubs against)
  • •
    Unaccustomed to the irritating texture of doubt, she felt tears as its abrasiveness grated over the fragile skin of her life.†  (source)
    standard suffix: The suffix "-ness" converts an adjective to a noun that means the quality of. This is the same pattern you see in words like darkness, kindness, and coolness.
  • •
    It would take abrasives and chemicals—offhand, he wasn't even sure what kind—and scrubbing and scraping and grinding; and still, traces of blue would remain.  (source)
    abrasives = substances that wear down other surfaces when rubbed against them
  • •
    Mixed with sweat, the dust formed an abrasive paste that collected in the clammy spaces between the feet and the simulated leather of the boys' cleats, gnawing blisters into their ankles.  (source)
    abrasive = rough or irritating
  • •
    From New England Down East with its "eeahh" to Texas's drawl and its familiar "you-alls"; from the gentle nasality of the Midwest to the loud abrasiveness of the large Eastern cities with the inevitable "know what I mean?" tacked on to conversational sentences, whether questions or statements.†  (source)
▲ show less (of above)