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
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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
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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of fray
Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Perhaps the hem of your jeans fray against the rough city pavement.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 18 Oct. 2025
Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025
Many preventative care services are covered, at least partially, by insurance thanks to the Affordable Care Act, but experts say that net of protection has frayed over the years.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fray
Noun
His successors seem not to share his appetite for the political fray.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Perhaps the hem of your jeans fray against the rough city pavement.
—Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
Al-Omari is uneasy about signs that Arab unity on disarmament is already fraying.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025
Many preventative care services are covered, at least partially, by insurance thanks to the Affordable Care Act, but experts say that net of protection has frayed over the years.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fray
Noun
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Lima, Peru Reuters — Peru’s President Jose Jeri declared on Tuesday a 30-day state of emergency in the capital Lima and the neighboring province of Callao, saying the move was to battle rising crime.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
22 Oct. 2025
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Hubbard has a track record of moving the chains effectively, which was necessary in a game that was going to be mostly a defensive battle.—
Mike Kaye
October 21,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Amazon Prime commentator Kirk Herbstreit said as a guess at Rodgers' response to Jones, as footage of the sideline near-skirmish played for viewers.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
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Why This Hurts More Than Before US-China trade tensions aren’t just another tariff skirmish.—
Vitalii Savryha,
Sourcing Journal,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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These brawls further eroded democratic norms, while driving voters away from left-wing and moderate parties who seemed helpless to halt them.—
Time,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Of the many people involved in the brawl, only Iverson and three other Black men were convicted.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Attendees were given 3 minutes to speak, same as in the commissioners court, and primarily spoke about jail deaths and the freedom of speech being eroded.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Oct. 2025
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Even as streaming has eroded the ranks of linear viewers in primetime, sports has built new bulwarks.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Stephens said there were signs of a struggle, and Thomas' body had been dragged about 180 feet into the woods.—
Bill Bowden,
Arkansas Online,
24 Oct. 2025
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Passmore reflects on Shakur’s life and considers how her story highlights the broader struggles and resilience of Black activists whose work is marginalized in mainstream histories.—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The clash occurs more so on the stylistic side and acclimatising to Villa’s methods.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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Fundraisers for the victims of devil attacks, apparently a common occurrence in this reality, acknowledge the death toll that these supernatural clashes leave behind.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That’s the estimate for Coppola’s unique watch, which the Godfather director wore at the Cannes premiere of Megalopolis.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
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Crews wear thermal base layers, overalls, and analog spacesuits when working outdoors.—
Rosanna Philpott,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In the Netflix adaptation, Pippa helps describe the fight against the Twits’ reign of mischief and terror, serving as a moral compass amid the chaos.—
Jane LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
18 Oct. 2025
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Resistance from African Leaders As youth protests grow stronger, African governments, particularly those that are military-led, are unlikely to surrender their positions without a fight.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fray. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
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