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
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Recent Examples of frayed
Olga Garcia-Mayoral, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
The present calamity is only exacerbated by the problems that already existed in their frayed union of over 20 years — including narcissistic tendencies for him and accountability issues for her.
—Sarah Rodman, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Mar. 2026
After six months of backpacking, Martha was feeling very Taoist, very detached, just a big naked eyeball wandering around, absorbing all the astonishing things there were to see at the frayed edges of a defunct feudal empire.
—Cassandra Neyenesch, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
Together, these ingredients temporarily seal the cuticle, minimizing the look of frayed ends without leaving behind that dreaded crunchy feeling.
—Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 23 Mar. 2026
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
Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
The veil between character and self has frayed — bad behavior, even onstage, carries a frisson of shameful unease.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
But sports ties between North and South Korea have suffered as political relations frayed.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Together, Kelly and the queen made a brilliant team, only rarely falling out when tempers frayed.
—Katie Nicholl, Vanity Fair, 30 Mar. 2026
But that sense of belonging has frayed.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 22 Mar. 2026
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
Adjective
The works retain visible traces of labor—knots, frayed edges, layered threads—emphasizing the physical act of making.
—Olga Garcia-Mayoral, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
The present calamity is only exacerbated by the problems that already existed in their frayed union of over 20 years — including narcissistic tendencies for him and accountability issues for her.
—Sarah Rodman, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Mar. 2026
After six months of backpacking, Martha was feeling very Taoist, very detached, just a big naked eyeball wandering around, absorbing all the astonishing things there were to see at the frayed edges of a defunct feudal empire.
—Cassandra Neyenesch, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
Together, these ingredients temporarily seal the cuticle, minimizing the look of frayed ends without leaving behind that dreaded crunchy feeling.
—Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 23 Mar. 2026
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
Verb
The internal notice came after City Council members already saw a 3% cut to their spending across ward offices and committees this year and last year, both following challenging budget cycles that frayed relationships between aldermen and the mayor’s office.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
The veil between character and self has frayed — bad behavior, even onstage, carries a frisson of shameful unease.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
But sports ties between North and South Korea have suffered as political relations frayed.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Together, Kelly and the queen made a brilliant team, only rarely falling out when tempers frayed.
—Katie Nicholl, Vanity Fair, 30 Mar. 2026
But that sense of belonging has frayed.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 22 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frayed
Adjective
-
Pieces of Maxey's tattered clothing and other evidence are being tested for animal DNA, with authorities believing the animal could be a bear, a mountain lion, or a dog, according to the outlet, which cited the Pittsburg County Sheriff's Office and Oklahoma Wildlife Services.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Repairing the agency’s tattered credibility The CDC has long been the world’s pre-eminent public health agency.—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
If there was ever a notion that profanity isn’t befitting of the nation’s highest office, that standard has largely eroded.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Underlying the Persian Gulf itself is a basin filled with debris eroded from the rising of the Zagros Mountains.—
Scott L. Montgomery,
The Conversation,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
On a ragged offense, Achane had a league-leading 24 runs over 15 yards and finished third behind Cook and Seattle’s Kenneth Walker III with 40 runs over 10 yards.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Use sharp pruners or loppers for trimming trees, to avoid making ragged cuts.—
Peg Aloi,
The Spruce,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In 2025, players from five teams wore shirts bearing the name of an important woman in their lives, instead of their names.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Charlotte wore a tan coat by Catherine Walker, a favorite designer of her mom’s, over a dress by Self-Portrait, the same brand that made Middleton’s all-cream outfit for the occasion, per People.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The names of the oldest Metro stations also contained micro-histories, so too the faded playbills of the theaters and chipped words at the tramcar stop.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Actress Letitia Wright attended a Prada event in a faded denim and leather jacket.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Frayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frayed. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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