as in tattered
worn or torn into or as if into rags
she wore a beloved but badly frayed flannel shirt
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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
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Recent Examples of frayed
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
From then on, relationships became frayed and strained.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 2 June 2026
Look for bulbs that need tightening, frayed wires, missing insulation, and rust.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 2 June 2026
Her pussybow button-down featured an optical illusion in the form of a double collar, as well as a frayed black ribbon at the neckline.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 1 June 2026
Lear would provide comment through this portrait of a neurotic, frayed woman and the people who surround her.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Faulty connections, frayed wires, and incompatible electrical voltage can lead to breakage and even fires.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 18 May 2026
These roomy jeans are designed with a high waist, zip-and-button fly, and frayed hems.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
Hungary’s incoming Prime Minister Peter Magyar named the key ministers for his new government who will help shoulder the task of repairing frayed European ties and relaunching a stagnant economy.
—Thomas Escritt, Bloomberg, 20 Apr. 2026
Michael W. Sonnenfeldt, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026
Dalton and Bhaskaran left the edges rough and frayed along the hem and through the cutaway sections, keeping the dress from reading as straight princess fantasy despite the color and scale.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 16 May 2026
Bessent's visit comes at a time when relations between Beijing and Tokyo have frayed, following Takaichi's comments in November that indicated Tokyo would support Taiwan if threatened by Beijing's military, drawing a sharp response from Beijing.
—Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 12 May 2026
The writer is expected to bond with a new steward who had no part in the original creative conversation, who may have entirely different instincts about the material, and who inherits a relationship already frayed by the impersonal mechanics of a deal that took forever to close.
—George Heller, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2026
Daniel still has these tracings today, rolled tightly and frayed at the edges.
—Emilie Hardman, JSTOR Daily, 6 May 2026
People still were tired, tempers frayed.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 2 May 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, 29 Apr. 2026
The April state visit of King Charles and Queen Camilla of Britain (more properly the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland) and the Commonwealth (formerly the British Empire) provides an opportunity to repair relations frayed mainly by the Iran War.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The backstory The 1 Hotel has taken over what was formerly the Hotel Vitale, which always had fabulous bones (lots of windows, spacious guest rooms) but had been feeling a little frayed for the last few years of its existence.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
From then on, relationships became frayed and strained.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 2 June 2026
Look for bulbs that need tightening, frayed wires, missing insulation, and rust.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 2 June 2026
Her pussybow button-down featured an optical illusion in the form of a double collar, as well as a frayed black ribbon at the neckline.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 1 June 2026
Lear would provide comment through this portrait of a neurotic, frayed woman and the people who surround her.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Faulty connections, frayed wires, and incompatible electrical voltage can lead to breakage and even fires.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 18 May 2026
These roomy jeans are designed with a high waist, zip-and-button fly, and frayed hems.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
Hungary’s incoming Prime Minister Peter Magyar named the key ministers for his new government who will help shoulder the task of repairing frayed European ties and relaunching a stagnant economy.
—Thomas Escritt, Bloomberg, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
In recent years, that moral and political alignment has frayed.
—Michael W. Sonnenfeldt, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026
Dalton and Bhaskaran left the edges rough and frayed along the hem and through the cutaway sections, keeping the dress from reading as straight princess fantasy despite the color and scale.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 16 May 2026
Bessent's visit comes at a time when relations between Beijing and Tokyo have frayed, following Takaichi's comments in November that indicated Tokyo would support Taiwan if threatened by Beijing's military, drawing a sharp response from Beijing.
—Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 12 May 2026
The writer is expected to bond with a new steward who had no part in the original creative conversation, who may have entirely different instincts about the material, and who inherits a relationship already frayed by the impersonal mechanics of a deal that took forever to close.
—George Heller, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2026
Daniel still has these tracings today, rolled tightly and frayed at the edges.
—Emilie Hardman, JSTOR Daily, 6 May 2026
People still were tired, tempers frayed.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 2 May 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, 29 Apr. 2026
The April state visit of King Charles and Queen Camilla of Britain (more properly the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland) and the Commonwealth (formerly the British Empire) provides an opportunity to repair relations frayed mainly by the Iran War.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frayed
Adjective
-
On May 16 came a bright pink ballgown complete with an oversized bow and a tattered hoop skirt.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
24 May 2026
-
Trump then asks how Epstein, in tattered, bloody clothes and a chain around his neck, is enjoying heaven.—
William Vaillancourt,
Rolling Stone,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
The new feature comes amid consternation from website operators and creators that Google’s AI summaries have eroded the volume of referral traffic coming from the search portal.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
4 June 2026
-
Equipped with a sophisticated suite of instruments, the probe was designed to study the Martian atmosphere to learn more about how it is eroded, or blown away and thinned out by particles in the solar wind.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Kristen Stewart has sported every short hairstyle worth mentioning, but this impossibly ragged, exaggerated mullet feels like the correct choice for a grunge girl summer.—
Calin Van Paris,
InStyle,
27 May 2026
-
Reflecting on these piercing paradoxes, Dusabejambo’s narrative (co-written with Delphine Agut) cannot but be shaped by them; there are no simple resolutions for a reality defined by ruptures and ragged edges.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Perry wore a floor-length white gown as Trudeau kept his look simple in a white dress shirt and black blazer over matching slacks.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
-
For both occasions, the Princess Royal wore the hat with yellow outfits.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
That look-to-local approach can be seen here too, in the faded Turkish rugs on the floors and splashes of modern Turkish design—in particular, bright ikat cushions and throws—in the otherwise simple bedrooms.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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Prune Lightly to Maintain Shape Once the flowers become unattractive, clean up the plant's overall shape by selectively pruning branches and the faded blooms.—
Marie Iannotti,
The Spruce,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frayed. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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