as in tattered
worn or torn into or as if into rags
she wore a beloved but badly frayed flannel shirt
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in eroded
to damage or diminish by continued friction
constant rubbing against the rock face has badly frayed our climbing rope
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of frayed
Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
Look for appliances with frayed or cracked cords and get rid of them.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 15 Jan. 2026
Faulty wiring or frayed cords are a recipe for disaster, so be sure to thoroughly inspect your model to check for any broken elements.
—Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026
Although Jerry Garcia cast the longest shadow across the legend of the Dead with his dark, complexly melodic songs and his hazy, frayed vocals, Weir’s shadow was more translucent, melodically lighter and rhythmically astute.
—A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 11 Jan. 2026
With Kuminga’s Warriors role disappearing this season, and his frayed relationship with coach Steve Kerr an open secret, this is (potentially) the price Golden State will pay for that crucial loss in leverage with other teams.
—Sam Amick, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Old wiring, loose sockets, and frayed cords can be a safety hazard.
—Heather Bien, Martha Stewart, 9 Jan. 2026
Sources at the time of the cancellation told Deadline that Jackson and Big Meech’s frayed relationship was not the reason BMF ended.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 5 Jan. 2026
In its destruction, the Chiefs will have to repair a frayed relationship with those who considered the stadium’s location in Missouri part of their identity.
—Sam McDowell 23, Kansas City Star, 23 Dec. 2025
Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 10 Jan. 2026
The pants feature slightly frayed, cuffed hems with an inseam that’s suitable for shorter frames, plus they’re made from stretchy denim for all-day comfort.
—Michelle Rostamian, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
That alignment has since frayed.
—Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
Their debate illustrated the way the right has frayed without Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed during a Turning Point event on the Utah Valley University campus in September.
—Stephanie Murray, AZCentral.com, 19 Dec. 2025
In pitch darkness, with 10-foot waves smashing the sides of both boats and only flashlights to guide them, nerves frayed.
—Carrie Kahn, NPR, 12 Dec. 2025
The Arizona case in particular comes at a time when, experts say, public confidence in scientific institutions has deeply frayed.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
The zipper even still glides as smoothly as the first day, and not a single thread has frayed.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Nov. 2025
The first one will be connected to a larger community center so that even people who are not in-patient will be able to access health care, mental health care, career counseling, financial planning management and family therapy services to help rebuild relationships frayed by addiction.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
But even Kerr, who as of last week still said Kuminga’s return to the lineup was a possibility, has admitted that Kuminga’s departure is likely, but refuted claims that he and Kuminga’s relationship has become frayed.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
Look for appliances with frayed or cracked cords and get rid of them.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 15 Jan. 2026
Faulty wiring or frayed cords are a recipe for disaster, so be sure to thoroughly inspect your model to check for any broken elements.
—Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026
Although Jerry Garcia cast the longest shadow across the legend of the Dead with his dark, complexly melodic songs and his hazy, frayed vocals, Weir’s shadow was more translucent, melodically lighter and rhythmically astute.
—A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 11 Jan. 2026
With Kuminga’s Warriors role disappearing this season, and his frayed relationship with coach Steve Kerr an open secret, this is (potentially) the price Golden State will pay for that crucial loss in leverage with other teams.
—Sam Amick, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Old wiring, loose sockets, and frayed cords can be a safety hazard.
—Heather Bien, Martha Stewart, 9 Jan. 2026
Sources at the time of the cancellation told Deadline that Jackson and Big Meech’s frayed relationship was not the reason BMF ended.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 5 Jan. 2026
In its destruction, the Chiefs will have to repair a frayed relationship with those who considered the stadium’s location in Missouri part of their identity.
—Sam McDowell 23, Kansas City Star, 23 Dec. 2025
Verb
In the fallout, the close relationship between Perez and Albritton frayed.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 10 Jan. 2026
The pants feature slightly frayed, cuffed hems with an inseam that’s suitable for shorter frames, plus they’re made from stretchy denim for all-day comfort.
—Michelle Rostamian, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
That alignment has since frayed.
—Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
Their debate illustrated the way the right has frayed without Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed during a Turning Point event on the Utah Valley University campus in September.
—Stephanie Murray, AZCentral.com, 19 Dec. 2025
In pitch darkness, with 10-foot waves smashing the sides of both boats and only flashlights to guide them, nerves frayed.
—Carrie Kahn, NPR, 12 Dec. 2025
The Arizona case in particular comes at a time when, experts say, public confidence in scientific institutions has deeply frayed.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
The zipper even still glides as smoothly as the first day, and not a single thread has frayed.
—Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Nov. 2025
The first one will be connected to a larger community center so that even people who are not in-patient will be able to access health care, mental health care, career counseling, financial planning management and family therapy services to help rebuild relationships frayed by addiction.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frayed
Adjective
-
Decked out in a purple velour tracksuit, layered necklaces, a tattered blonde wig, and a tiara, Jimmy is the cult leader to a small, depraved group of satanists who claim to be the son of the Devil himself.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Kick your tattered bath mat to the curb, and grab the Yimobra Memory Foam Bath Rug before the deal expires.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The popular frustration with Iran’s leadership encompasses a catalogue of failures that have eroded the regime’s external ambitions and its domestic legitimacy.—
Ali Vaez,
Time,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Public trust in the justice system is eroded when political cronyism is rewarded over fairness, when accountability is resisted, and when devastating errors are defended instead of confronted.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Her breath was becoming more ragged.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The five pieces offer, in turn, biomorphic hints of de Kooning, the ragged shapes of Clyfford Still, the bold geometries of Ellsworth Kelly, the paint smears of Gerhard Richter, and something that looks like toothpaste squeezed onto an orange peel.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
For the Los Angeles premiere of Marty Supreme, the two wore custom Chrome Hearts looks.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Emma Stone wore comfy, but sophisticated silk pants to a Louis Vuitton event in New York.—
Kaitlin Clapinski,
InStyle,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The street style roundup regular shrugged on a faded blue workman shirt—complete with a retro name-tag patch—over a navy pleated skirt and tank top for a chic outfit that was both effortless and effective.—
Freya Drohan,
InStyle,
20 Jan. 2026
-
The upcoming Nike Air Max 95 OG Big Bubble Realtree features a Black/Dark Smoke Gray/Metallic Cool Gray colorway, which amounts to a nearly all-black suede, nubuck and mesh upper that’s accented with faded blacks and dark grays.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
18 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frayed. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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