corrosion

/kəˈroʊʒən/
noun
  1. The gradual destruction or wearing away of a material, especially metal, by chemical reaction, such as rusting.
    • The car's body showed signs of corrosion after years of winter salt on the roads.
    • Corrosion of the water pipes caused a leak in the basement.
    • Engineers apply protective coatings to prevent corrosion on bridges.
  2. The gradual weakening or damaging of something abstract, such as trust, values, or relationships.
    • Constant lying led to the corrosion of trust between the friends.
    • The scandal caused a slow corrosion of the company's reputation.
    • Neglect can result in the corrosion of community spirit over time.
Antonyms
What does "corrosion" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean