Thesaurus results for FRAYING

fraying

verb

Definition of fraying next

present participle of fray

as in eroding

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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of fraying But gaps the size of ours are breeding frustration and distrust, fraying the social fabric and creating the conditions for instability and upheaval. —

Russell Hancock, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026 These sateen sheets only get softer after each wash, according to shopping director Rachel Fletcher, who has had the high-quality bedding for years and has never spotted fraying or pilling. —

Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 1 Apr. 2026 Friendships fraying, puberty unevenly invading our bodies in ways both private and horrifically public. —

Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026 Just as important, the human system behind the arsenal is fraying. —

Richard Goldberg, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fraying

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fraying

Verb

Despite nationwide polls showing eroding support, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán retains strong backing in rural communities and among older Hungarians, who credit him with representing their interests and maintaining national pride.

— Justin Spike, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
In the years following the departure of Ailes, many critics further assailed the network for eroding any line between news reporting and commentary and political advocacy.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Apr. 2026