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
Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 17 Mar. 2026
The smooth glass finish helps prevent snagging and frayed edges, which means less breakage and longer-lasting polish.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 5 Mar. 2026
The shredded sleeves of her Ashi Studio gown, frayed edges of her Dilara Findikoglu dress, trompe-l’oeil of her Margiela, fabric twists of her Roberto Cavalli, and shaggy accents of her vintage John Galliano are key touch-points.
—Alice Cary, Vogue, 24 Feb. 2026
Yeoh's frayed satin Dior shift included a leaf print and delicate draping.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 18 Feb. 2026
These curtain panels, in a frayed and striped linen fabric, boast a curtain rod pocket that extends upwards, elongating the panel and making your ceilings feel even taller.
—Kelly Dawson, Architectural Digest, 6 Feb. 2026
The next areas on your decluttering to-do list should be your kitchen cabinets and office drawers, which have a serious tendency to accumulate unused or outdated electronics, miscellaneous plugs, or frayed, unusable cords.
—Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 25 Jan. 2026
For all the dialogue’s sharpness, a few narrative strands are left too loose or frayed.
—Hannah Gold, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026
The bulk of testimony in the temporary restraining order hearing focused on how an apparent misunderstanding led to an escalating political feud and frayed friendships, rather than similarly dwelling on 42 potentially fraudulent signatures.
—Nicole Hensley, Houston Chronicle, 15 Jan. 2026
Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 16 Mar. 2026
The edge, the professionalism, the unity and the joy have all frayed just enough to lower Minnesota from truly elite to maybe just good.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 27 Feb. 2026
But by that point, the relationship between Cousins and the team was already frayed.
—Josh Kendall, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2026
The documents that Dooley was now handling were barely yellowed, their edges lightly frayed, the oak gall ink ranging from brown to black.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
The rapper said he is committed and dedicated to repairing relationships frayed by his alleged manic episodes.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
The rapper's relationships and personal life have frayed over the years as well, most notably with John Legend, who once called Ye a close friend and collaborated with Ye on his 2004 album, The College Dropout, and with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Jan. 2026
Its light wash and frayed raw hem look reminds me of the pair the lifestyle guru wore, and the ankle-skimming length is great for showing off a cute pair of sneakers, booties, or slip-on sandals.
—Averi Baudler, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
In the fallout, the close relationship between Perez and Albritton frayed.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Back then, gaming gear meant a sticky controller with a frayed wire and a TV that hummed louder than the game itself.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 17 Mar. 2026
The smooth glass finish helps prevent snagging and frayed edges, which means less breakage and longer-lasting polish.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 5 Mar. 2026
The shredded sleeves of her Ashi Studio gown, frayed edges of her Dilara Findikoglu dress, trompe-l’oeil of her Margiela, fabric twists of her Roberto Cavalli, and shaggy accents of her vintage John Galliano are key touch-points.
—Alice Cary, Vogue, 24 Feb. 2026
Yeoh's frayed satin Dior shift included a leaf print and delicate draping.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 18 Feb. 2026
These curtain panels, in a frayed and striped linen fabric, boast a curtain rod pocket that extends upwards, elongating the panel and making your ceilings feel even taller.
—Kelly Dawson, Architectural Digest, 6 Feb. 2026
The next areas on your decluttering to-do list should be your kitchen cabinets and office drawers, which have a serious tendency to accumulate unused or outdated electronics, miscellaneous plugs, or frayed, unusable cords.
—Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 25 Jan. 2026
For all the dialogue’s sharpness, a few narrative strands are left too loose or frayed.
—Hannah Gold, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026
The bulk of testimony in the temporary restraining order hearing focused on how an apparent misunderstanding led to an escalating political feud and frayed friendships, rather than similarly dwelling on 42 potentially fraudulent signatures.
—Nicole Hensley, Houston Chronicle, 15 Jan. 2026
Verb
As the alerts frayed the nerves of residents, and the air defense system proved its mettle, the UAE authorities changed their approach.
—Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 16 Mar. 2026
The edge, the professionalism, the unity and the joy have all frayed just enough to lower Minnesota from truly elite to maybe just good.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 27 Feb. 2026
But by that point, the relationship between Cousins and the team was already frayed.
—Josh Kendall, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2026
The documents that Dooley was now handling were barely yellowed, their edges lightly frayed, the oak gall ink ranging from brown to black.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
The rapper said he is committed and dedicated to repairing relationships frayed by his alleged manic episodes.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026
The rapper's relationships and personal life have frayed over the years as well, most notably with John Legend, who once called Ye a close friend and collaborated with Ye on his 2004 album, The College Dropout, and with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian.
—Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Jan. 2026
Its light wash and frayed raw hem look reminds me of the pair the lifestyle guru wore, and the ankle-skimming length is great for showing off a cute pair of sneakers, booties, or slip-on sandals.
—Averi Baudler, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026
In the fallout, the close relationship between Perez and Albritton frayed.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 10 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frayed
Adjective
-
But there’s a certain magic in the tattered, the torn, and the un-trashable gear in our closets.—
The Editors,
Outside,
18 Mar. 2026
-
My tattered copy of the book has Ann’s acknowledgements at the front.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Billions in valuation have eroded since last summer’s peak, even as the new pilot program offers a faster route to limited operations.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Widespread discontent, fueled by repression, economic failure, corruption and protests over rights and shortages, has eroded regime loyalty.—
Chuck DeVore,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Though few natural-history buffs realize it, many of them have admired the handiwork of this unusual company, located in the ragged outskirts of Oklahoma City, for decades.—
Jeff Wilson,
Outdoor Life,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Daniel Arnold—whose street work picks up from Garry Winogrand and Joel Meyerowitz, but with a ragged edge of comic mayhem—goes wild on one of the show’s large walls.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Ceretti, meanwhile, wore a burgundy dress, with her hair done in a tight, slick-back bun.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Most notably, the actor wore a De Beers London Summer choker necklace from the house’s Metamorphosis 2023 couture collection.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
And today, free tuition could be the PR tonic California needs to brighten its faded image across America.—
George Skelton,
Mercury News,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Lucky Brand nails the baggy, wide-leg aesthetic with these ultra-low jeans that have a faded wash that feels perfect for spring.—
Eva Thomas,
InStyle,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frayed. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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