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
Repairing the country’s fraying social ties will be a challenge.
—
Tristan Bove, Fortune, 26 May 2026
And with the existing safety net of services fraying as never before, our work is more important than ever.
—Deidre Johnson, Denver Post, 25 May 2026
For the last few years, he’s been mired in a complex web of mounting fees and permit nightmares, getting punted back and forth between city departments like a fraying football.
—Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
The old model, the one that sustained the indie ecosystem, is visibly fraying.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fraying
Tristan Bove, Fortune, 26 May 2026
And with the existing safety net of services fraying as never before, our work is more important than ever.
—Deidre Johnson, Denver Post, 25 May 2026
For the last few years, he’s been mired in a complex web of mounting fees and permit nightmares, getting punted back and forth between city departments like a fraying football.
—Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026
The old model, the one that sustained the indie ecosystem, is visibly fraying.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fraying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fraying
Verb
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Starmer led the Labour party to a landslide victory in July 2024 and ever since, his popularity has been eroding thanks to a persistently high cost of living, an anemic economy and a scandal over his willingness to accept gifts from wealthy donors.—
James Cirrone,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
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The internet's foundational assumption of human participation is eroding as AI agents become indistinguishable from people.—
Sean Lee,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Wilson shared a video of herself shooting a gun while dressed in her bikini shirt, as well as one of her sipping on a cocktail while sitting on part of the boat wearing the shirt, a visor and a statement necklace.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
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Another, wearing a plain white T-shirt, sat hunched inside, watching someone climb past his apartment window.—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fraying. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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