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
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to-do list should be your kitchen cabinets and office drawers, which have a serious tendency to accumulate unused or outdated electronics, miscellaneous plugs, or frayed, unusable cords.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
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
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
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
Adjective
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
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
Verb
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frayed
Adjective
-
Enter Tyrannio, a Greek specialist in literature and libraries, owner of some 30,000 scrolls and famed expert on Aristotle — in fact, the same man responsible for restoring the philosopher’s tattered library after it was hauled to Rome.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Concerns about the project and the tattered state of the street have been raised at local community planning meetings, with some wondering whether the work had stalled for some reason.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The lockstep support the Clintons enjoyed among congressional Democrats has eroded as a new generation of lawmakers has taken office -- nine Democrats joined with Republicans on the House committee to advance the contempt resolution.—
STEVEN SLOAN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Chinese streaming giant iQiYi returned to revenue growth in the fourth quarter of 2025, posting a 3% year-over-year increase and narrowing its quarterly loss, though the company swung to a full-year loss as profitability eroded sharply.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Use clean, sharp pruners to cut a smooth edge right above a living bud, lateral branch, or along the trunk where there is a ragged break.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
22 Feb. 2026
-
In the absence of pro hoops, ABC found itself with a ragged hole in its Sunday afternoon schedule, which an exec named Dick Button proposed to fill by way of a new show titled The Superstars.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Danes wore her hair in a sleek updo and accessorized with small diamond drop earrings with a matching bracelet and a ring.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
2 Mar. 2026
-
The temperature exceeded a hundred degrees, and the smoke was so thick that the little cartoon icon on the air-quality app on my phone—which normally wore a cloth mask when the air was bad—now bore a gas mask.—
Robert Moor,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Before the third siren at seven o’clock Chitol parked his bicycle alongside hundreds of others like it, his identified by a faded yellow piece of his wife’s old sari around the handlebars, which doubled as a duster.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The trembling bass mixed with faded talk-raps (somewhere between fakemink’s blurry party reports and SoundCloud-era Nav’s fame-hungry melodrama) feels like listening to Mustard’s pop-rap formula from inside the club bathroom.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frayed. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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