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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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
Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 10 June 2026
Clemente suggests looking out for frayed or damaged cords, cracked plugs, unusual warmth, buzzing noises, burning smells, or discoloration around outlets.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 9 June 2026
When my grandchildren were around recently, Marie was gritting her teeth because her nerves were so frayed.
—Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 7 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, 5 June 2026
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
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
Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
His nerves were frayed and his sleep suffered.
—Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026
So when the seventh inning rolled around, his nerves were not frayed.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
The traditional political alliances are frayed, at best, with socialists backing a billionaire and Trump supporting an immigrant.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 30 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
Adjective
Look for appliances with frayed or cracked cords and get rid of them.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 10 June 2026
Clemente suggests looking out for frayed or damaged cords, cracked plugs, unusual warmth, buzzing noises, burning smells, or discoloration around outlets.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 9 June 2026
When my grandchildren were around recently, Marie was gritting her teeth because her nerves were so frayed.
—Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 7 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, 5 June 2026
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
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
Verb
Patience is tried; tempers are frayed.
—Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026
His nerves were frayed and his sleep suffered.
—Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, The Atlantic, 1 June 2026
So when the seventh inning rolled around, his nerves were not frayed.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 31 May 2026
The traditional political alliances are frayed, at best, with socialists backing a billionaire and Trump supporting an immigrant.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 30 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frayed
Adjective
-
Their vibrant appendages become tattered and dull.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
-
Nichols organized a day where 26 volunteers came together to replace American tattered and torn flags with brand new ones, including David and Sue Hornbrook's torn flag.—
Charlie Lapastora,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Others spend hundreds of millions only to be left with excess inventory, eroded margins and consumers who have already moved on.—
Keren Novack,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
As the rocks eroded and wore away into their iconic shapes, Native people hunted, gathered and farmed beside them.—
Alia Beard Rau,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Although King reached rare air with the Bulls during Rose’s ascent, most of his tenure as a broadcaster was spent breathing life into ragged seasons.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Trudeau embraced the Southern California vibes and wore a green T-shirt with black shorts and a pair of dark sunglasses.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
-
Flockhart looked pretty in pink next to Ford, who wore a classic tux, at the 2024 Critics Choice Awards.—
Kate Hogan,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Police say that the suspect's vehicle has a faded convertible top, no rear window, chrome-and-red European-style taillights and chrome rims.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
-
Next to a limp rack of sleeveless tops stands a postapocalyptic forager-warrior mannequin in jeans, a faded plaid shirt, and a black baseball cap from the plus-size-women’s brand Torrid.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frayed. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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