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1. A wearing down to weaken or destroy
   "a war of attrition"
    
2. Erosion by friction
   - abrasion, corrasion, detrition
    
3. The wearing down of rock particles by friction due to water, wind or ice
   - grinding, abrasion, detrition
    
4. Sorrow for sin arising from fear of damnation
   - contrition, contriteness
    
5. The act of rubbing together; wearing something down by friction

Derived forms: attritions

Type of: decrease, degradation, detrition, drop-off, eating away, eroding, erosion, friction, lessening, regret, rubbing, rue [archaic], ruefulness, sorrow, wearing, wearing away

Encyclopedia: Attrition