grind down
phrasal verb
ground down; grinding down; grinds down
1
: to make (something hard) smaller and smoother by gradually rubbing off tiny bits
The old dog's teeth had been ground down by use.
2
: to weaken or destroy (someone or something) gradually
Poverty ground her spirit down.
These people have been ground down by years of oppression.
Examples of grind down in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The odds are that the authority in charge and strict rules will likely grind down your rebellion.
—
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Across the border in Syria, meanwhile, both rebels and extremist groups have ground down the defenses of President Bashar al-Assad.
—Lina Khatib, Foreign Affairs, 13 July 2016
There isn’t as much value in grinding down starters, either, with a string of talented relief arms usually beckoning in the bullpen.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024
Israel has spent a year and spent considerable money and political capital grinding down Gaza.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grind down 
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Lance Eliot, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Across the border in Syria, meanwhile, both rebels and extremist groups have ground down the defenses of President Bashar al-Assad.
—Lina Khatib, Foreign Affairs, 13 July 2016
There isn’t as much value in grinding down starters, either, with a string of talented relief arms usually beckoning in the bullpen.
—Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2024
Israel has spent a year and spent considerable money and political capital grinding down Gaza.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for grind down
Dictionary Entries Near grind down
Cite this Entry
“Grind down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grind%20down. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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