fray

1 of 4

noun (1)

: a usually disorderly or protracted fight, struggle, or dispute
Fighting there could easily draw neighboring nations into the fray.Blaine Harden
… the patrician statesman who stood above the fray.Richard D. Hylton

fray

2 of 4

verb (1)

frayed; fraying; frays

transitive verb

1
a
: to wear (something, such as an edge of cloth) by or as if by rubbing : fret
b
: to separate the threads at the edge of
2
: strain, irritate
… a botched new bus system … which has frayed tempers.The Economist

intransitive verb

1
: to wear out or into shreds
2
: to show signs of strain
fraying nerves

fray

3 of 4

noun (2)

: a raveled place or worn spot (as on fabric)

fray

4 of 4

verb (2)

frayed; fraying; frays

transitive verb

archaic
: scare
also : to frighten away

Examples of fray in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Those factors all had the makings for a generational clash among Democrats until Garvey joined the fray in October. Benjamin Oreskes, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Dragged into the fray is Jagger Rose, a normally cool, young hit-woman who was tasked with supervising Valentine, and has wound up with a target on her back too. Jennifer Maas, Variety, 27 Feb. 2024 Others who joined the fray also were in danger of being punished by the NBA, especially those who were on the court during the altercation and left the bench to get involved. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2024 Somewhat inadvertently, The Ally, a new play by Itamar Moses opening at the Public Theater on February 27, cannonballs directly into the fray. Rhoda Feng, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2024 Barack Obama jumped into the fray after Trump's attacks on NATO. USA TODAY, 15 Feb. 2024 That’s positioned them well financially to invest in EVs today, with an eye toward entering the fray in earnest in the second half of this decade. Steve Mollman, Fortune, 16 Feb. 2024 The latest cast member to join the valley fray is OG star Scheana Shay, who records reveal has pumped out $2.5 million for a nearly 4,000-square-foot home in the increasingly upscale Sherman Oaks neighborhood. James McClain, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2024 In the 1890s, when the Germans entered the colonial fray, late in the game, Samoa was one of the few specks left. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 10 Feb. 2024
Verb
Within Haredi communities, many fear that the fabric of their insular life would begin to fray if men were forced to skip the full-time study of Scripture. Natan Odenheimer, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2024 Unity between the European Union (EU) and NATO is starting to fray, with nearly every big decision held up and threatened with veto. Luke McGee, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024 Keep in Mind The cane texture got caught on our hair and frayed our silk pillowcases. Erica Reagle, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2024 The threads of lagom seem to be fraying, as social services come under increasing stress and politics reach unprecedented levels of polarization. Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 2 Feb. 2024 At least in a roaring economy, there’ll be scraps for Kohl’s to eat—but any hint of an economic downturn will likely fray KSS shareholders’ nerves. Brett Owens, Forbes, 17 Feb. 2024 The old consensus that endured even in the initial years after the end of the Cold War has frayed under the weight of globalization, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Great Recession of 2008-09 and Mr. Trump’s relentless assault on international institutions and agreements. Peter Baker, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2024 Apple co-founder Steve Jobs became Disney’s largest individual shareholder after selling Pixar to Bob Iger, representing a dramatic mending of a relationship that had frayed between the two companies during the Michael Eisner era. Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2024 With straight seams, finished contour seams, and no loose threads or fraying edges, these sheets looked and felt noticeably well-made. Kathleen Felton, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fray.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English fraien, from Anglo-French freier, froier to rub, from Latin fricare — more at friction

Verb (2) and Noun (1)

Middle English fraien, short for affraien to affray

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

1630, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fray was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near fray

Cite this Entry

“Fray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fray. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fray

1 of 2 noun
: an usually disorderly or long fight, struggle, or dispute

fray

2 of 2 verb
1
a
: to wear (as an edge of cloth) by or as if by rubbing
b
: to separate the threads at the edge of
cutoff jeans with frayed edges
2
: to show or cause to show signs of strain
nerves were beginning to fray
Etymology

Noun

from earlier fray "fright," from affray "quarrel, fight," derived from early French affreer "to attack, disturb, frighten" — related to afraid

Verb

Middle English fraien "to fray," from early French freier, froier "to rub," from Latin fricare "to rub" — related to friction

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