1
as in battle
a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective
another generation of scientists entered the fray to find a cure for AIDS
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
a troubled youth always getting into frays at school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in brawl
a rough and often noisy fight usually involving several people
school officials broke up the fray and gave all guilty parties detention
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as in to erode
to damage or diminish by continued friction
constant rubbing against the rock face has badly frayed our climbing rope
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fray
Andrea Whittle, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026
Allow baseball to continue to be this respite, Bill, and stop trying to drag sports into the fray.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 9 Feb. 2026
Sampson’s gripe begins to fray, however, when the focus narrows to men’s basketball.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fray
Noun
The Flatiron district is low-key and just far away enough from the madness of Midtown or the cool-hunting fray of Downtown.
—Andrea Whittle, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026
Allow baseball to continue to be this respite, Bill, and stop trying to drag sports into the fray.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
His voting coalition is fraying, too.
—Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 9 Feb. 2026
Sampson’s gripe begins to fray, however, when the focus narrows to men’s basketball.
—Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fray
Noun
-
Britain had split the Chagos Islands from Mauritius before that colony gained independence, something that has been a source of diplomatic friction as well as multiple legal battles with locals who were evicted.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Arsenal is challenging for the titl while Tottenham — under new coach Igor Tudor — is in danger of being dragged into a relegation battle.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Some people taking part in recent walkouts and demonstrations have encountered police skirmish lines, arrests.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
As the hearings continued, Welch and Cohn engaged in heated legal skirmishes.—
Kristen Monroe,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Chaotic video shows the moment a midair brawl erupted between passengers on a Jet2 flight bound for the United Kingdom on Thursday, reportedly forcing the plane to make a diversion.—
Sophia Compton,
FOXNews.com,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The cause of the brawl was not immediately clear Saturday.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Still, critics say the controversy risks distracting from preparations for the Games and eroding public confidence in the organizing committee.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
If someone close erodes your self-belief, that’s not a loving situation.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Big Sean has never shied away from sharing his mental health struggles.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Offense by committee with stable defense Without Curry and Butler, the Warriors’ offensive struggles were inevitable.—
Jannelle Moore,
Mercury News,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
What then focused his mind was the clash within the United States—and by extension the rest of the West.—
Josef Joffe,
The Atlantic,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The immigration crackdown has featured a cycle of escalation in which armed officers are met by angry protesters, leading to dramatic clashes.—
Natasha Korecki,
NBC news,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
With only 12 weeks to pull together a wardrobe for the cast, and few of Jones’s old clothing in the archives, Rowe recreated some historical looks— such as the infamous red penguin-print pajama set (a version of the pajama top is worn by Jones on a school run in the new film).—
Kati Chitrakorn,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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The Cowboy Carter artist shared yet another set of images on Instagram from the 2026 Super Bowl, this time wearing a long brown coat with a matching hat and blue jeans.—
Mitchell Peters,
Billboard,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
How much were you involved in choreographing the fight scenes?—
Carole Horst,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
-
My record is one of an effective lawmaker who never backs down from a fight.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fray. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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