as in eroding
to damage or diminish by continued friction
constant rubbing against the rock face has badly frayed our climbing rope
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Recent Examples of fraying
But now, they are increasingly being asked to go without the internet on their phones, fraying nerves and leaving many feeling disconnected after four years of war in Ukraine.
—
Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 31 Jan. 2026
These argue that the somewhat orderly markets of the late 20th century are fast fraying today.
—Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The magic sauce lies in Brooklinen using long-staple cotton, which keeps the fibers from fraying and feeling rough.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 20 Jan. 2026
And what the president is doing is fraying that.
—ABC News, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fraying
Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 31 Jan. 2026
These argue that the somewhat orderly markets of the late 20th century are fast fraying today.
—Scott Montgomery, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The magic sauce lies in Brooklinen using long-staple cotton, which keeps the fibers from fraying and feeling rough.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 20 Jan. 2026
And what the president is doing is fraying that.
—ABC News, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fraying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fraying
Verb
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This has caused widespread confusion for voters and staff alike, disrupting service delivery and eroding the relationship between constituents and their representatives.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
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The continent’s eroding religious traditions and cultural loyalties, and its surging population of Muslim migrants, are a constant and gloomy obsession in Dreher’s posts.—
Robert F. Worth,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Take Keke Palmer in a butter yellow and cream vintage Dior bustier dress with a scarf-tie waist, or Kate Hudson, who combined all the mid-10s and boho trends by wearing a leathery peplum and balloon pants by Chloé.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
16 Feb. 2026
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The post comes days after Meghan made a surprise solo appearance at the Fifteen Percent Pledge Gala in Los Angeles, wearing a dusty rose Harbison Studio gown with black piping and a dramatic black cape.—
Kim Willis,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fraying. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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