verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/iːt‿əˈweɪ/
General-American:/it‿əˈweɪ/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -eɪ
1
verb
Meaning 1
To physically corrode or erode (something) gradually.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: idiomatic, transitive
Examples
The river bank had been eaten away over the years by the flood water.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: begnaw
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, idiomatic, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: corrode, erode
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
Chiefly followed by at: of a circumstance, incident, etc.: to cause (someone) to feel guilty, troubled, or worried; to bother (see eat away at).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Not confessing that I had stolen the money ate away at me until I could no longer sleep.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
wear away or erode
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: fret
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: corrode, rust
5
verb
Meaning 5
remove soil or rock
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Rain eroded the terraces
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: erode, fret
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: damage
Narrower terms: wash
History
Etymology
From eat + away.
Across languages
Translations
90 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
brej
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Albanian:
grij
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Arabic:
أَبْلَى
(ʔablā)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Arabic:
أَهْلَكَ
(ʔahlaka)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Arabic:
أَكَلَ
(ʔakala)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Arabic:
نَخْرَبَ
(naḵraba)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Arabic:
قَرَضَ
(qaraḍa)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Arabic:
رَتَمَ
(ratama)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Arabic:
تَآكَلَ
(taʔākala)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Old Armenian:
հարկանեմ
(harkanem)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Bashkir:
ашау
(aşaw)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Basque:
jan
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Catalan:
desgastar
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Catalan:
rosegar
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Catalan:
corcar
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Cebuano:
kutkot
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Czech:
rozežírat
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Czech:
rozžírat
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Czech:
rozežrat
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Middle Dutch:
cnāgen
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Estonian:
õgima
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Finnish:
jäytää
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Finnish:
kuluttaa
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Finnish:
lahottaa
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Finnish:
nakertaa
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Finnish:
rapauttaa
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Finnish:
syövyttää
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
French:
chicoter
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
French:
émietter
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
German:
aufzehren
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
German:
fressen
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
German:
nagen
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
German:
zerfressen
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Greek:
μαραίνω
(maraíno)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Hungarian:
esz
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Ido:
manjar
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Irish:
cnaígh
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Irish:
creim
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Italian:
smangiare
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Ladino:
komer
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Latin:
obedō
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Macedonian:
нагризе
(nagrize)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Maltese:
qarmeċ
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Pannonian Rusyn:
єсц
(jesc)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Polish:
jeść
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Polish:
zjeść
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Polish:
korodować
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Polish:
skorodować
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Polish:
nadżerać
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Polish:
nadeżreć
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Polish:
przegryzać
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Polish:
przegryźć
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Polish:
przeżerać
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Polish:
przeżreć
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Polish:
wyżerać
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Polish:
wyżreć
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Polish:
żłobić
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Portuguese:
comer
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Romanian:
mânca
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Romanian:
roade
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Russian:
изъеда́ть
(izʺjedátʹ)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Russian:
изъе́сть
(izʺjéstʹ)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Russian:
подмыва́ть
(podmyvátʹ)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Russian:
подмы́ть
(podmýtʹ)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Russian:
пожира́ть
(požirátʹ)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Russian:
пожра́ть
(požrátʹ)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Russian:
разъеда́ть
(razʺjedátʹ)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Russian:
разъе́сть
(razʺjéstʹ)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Russian:
выеда́ть
(vyjedátʹ)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Russian:
вы́есть
(výjestʹ)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Serbo-Croatian:
гри̏сти
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Serbo-Croatian:
ѝзгристи
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Serbo-Croatian:
на̀гристи
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Serbo-Croatian:
нагри́зати
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Serbo-Croatian:
grȉsti
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Serbo-Croatian:
ìzgristi
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Serbo-Croatian:
nàgristi
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Serbo-Croatian:
nagrízati
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Spanish:
apolillar
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Spanish:
cancerar
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Spanish:
carcomer
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Spanish:
chancomer
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Spanish:
pacer
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Spanish:
picar
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Spanish:
reconcomer
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Spanish:
roer
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process
Tamil:
பட்சி
(paṭci)
— to physically corrode or erode (something) gradually; (figurative) to destroy (something) gradually by an ongoing process