as in eroding
to damage or diminish by continued friction
constant rubbing against the rock face has badly frayed our climbing rope
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Recent Examples of fraying
Use a soft brush or even a toothbrush for crevices, and go gentle to avoid fraying the material.
—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Knowles keeps the atmosphere leaden when the story surfaces in the present, in which Willy is 63, fraying with disappointment and banged up from several car crashes out on his long runs — events that his family is starting to fear aren’t accidents.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
This mischievous psychothriller takes that premise to new, nerve-fraying levels.
—Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
Already, the two-week ceasefire appears at risk of fraying over significant disagreements between the parties, which each are claiming victory in the war.
—David Klepper, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fraying
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Knowles keeps the atmosphere leaden when the story surfaces in the present, in which Willy is 63, fraying with disappointment and banged up from several car crashes out on his long runs — events that his family is starting to fear aren’t accidents.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
This mischievous psychothriller takes that premise to new, nerve-fraying levels.
—Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
Already, the two-week ceasefire appears at risk of fraying over significant disagreements between the parties, which each are claiming victory in the war.
—David Klepper, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fraying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fraying
Verb
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Mammoth bluffs followed by last-minute retreats only deepened perceptions of inconsistency, further eroding deterrence.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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European carmakers lose premium brand status in China European carmakers are losing their premium brand status in China, as younger consumers opt for cars from domestic brands, further eroding Western firms’ prospects in a cutthroat global market.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Eli Heidenreich walked down the long corridor, wearing his Navy service dress blues and the emotion of the moment all over his face.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Probably one of the most ingrained is wearing pastels during the spring and summer months, with trendsetters and designers rallying around one specific shade for the past sever seasons.—
Lucía Tejo,
Glamour,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fraying. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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