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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Eric MacK, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Aside from being a sublime and succinct demonstration of her wit, those lyrics also imply one of Hartzman's main modes as a writer, as an observer just outside the emotional fray.
—Piet Levy, jsonline.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
Together, Kelly and the queen made a brilliant team, only rarely falling out when tempers frayed.
—Katie Nicholl, Vanity Fair, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fray
Noun
With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, there is also concern about shipping lanes around the Arabian Peninsula and the Red Sea after Yemen's Houthis entered the fray.
—Eric MacK, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Aside from being a sublime and succinct demonstration of her wit, those lyrics also imply one of Hartzman's main modes as a writer, as an observer just outside the emotional fray.
—Piet Levy, jsonline.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Verb
Additionally, the individual bristles may split and fray.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
Together, Kelly and the queen made a brilliant team, only rarely falling out when tempers frayed.
—Katie Nicholl, Vanity Fair, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fray
Noun
-
Three months into faith leaders’ legal battle, they were allowed back inside the facility in February for Ash Wednesday after a court order granted limited access.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In the midst of a restitution battle, records show that Kilpatrick is at risk of losing a home in Novi over more than $50,000 in unpaid property taxes.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These rules had been tightened since 2020, when relations soured following a deadly border skirmish in the Galwan Valley, where several Indian and Chinese soldiers died.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The skirmishes are a preview for more campaigns later this year, when at least a half-dozen states will hold elections for utility regulators.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Lueders eventually co-founded Few and the Proud, the band that would evolve into Convicted and finally Harm’s Way, transitioning from power violence toward brawl-ready hardcore punk, with various strands of metal thrown in from one album to the next.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Jarred Cavan died of his injuries after being stabbed during a brawl just outside Milpitas High School in Santa Clara County on Tuesday afternoon.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If there was ever a notion that profanity isn’t befitting of the nation’s highest office, that standard has largely eroded.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Underlying the Persian Gulf itself is a basin filled with debris eroded from the rising of the Zagros Mountains.—
Scott L. Montgomery,
The Conversation,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The ambassador, who was not identified or criminally charged, stabbed Berry during a struggle that began after the ambassador asked Berry and a teenage girl to stop vaping on a bus.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The Wolverines missed their first 11 shots from 3, finished 2 for 15 from there and won despite the struggles of its best player, Yaxel Lendeborg.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The deepening crisis has also sparked protests and clashes across the island.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2026
-
From there, the play builds into a seismic clash between the two, each arguing for their place, with Curator caught in the middle.—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The temperature at first pitch was 37 degrees and continued to drop, with players wearing full sleeves and many wearing head coverings.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Players schlep downstairs, wearing slippers or sandals, and walk through the game plan and what to expect from their opponents.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The confrontation, which led to multiple 911 calls reporting a fight involving a firearm, resulted in the arrest of Ahmad Zeeshan.—
Nikiya Carrero,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The United States Powered Paragliding Association and Experimental Aircraft Association have written letters supporting the ultralight pilots in their fight against the county airport, as cited in the documents under review for the FAA’s upcoming decision.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fray. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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