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fraying

noun

fray·​ing ˈfrā-iŋ How to pronounce fraying (audio)
: something rubbed or worn off by fraying

Examples of fraying in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The breaking and fraying of the rope matched the pattern on Miller's. Logan Smith, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025 Signs include wool that’s unraveling, pilling, fraying, or shedding. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Nov. 2025 All the while, Yelchin, Stewart, Alia Shawkat, and Imogen Poots imbue their disparate characters with inner lives that make each successive shock that much more nerve-fraying. Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025 For added durability, there is an additional edge stitch to prevent further fraying. Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fraying

Word History

First Known Use

1637, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fraying was in 1637

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Cite this Entry

“Fraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fraying. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.

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