1
as in fights
a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective
another generation of scientists entered the fray to find a cure for AIDS
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in clashes
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
a troubled youth always getting into frays at school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in brawls
a rough and often noisy fight usually involving several people
school officials broke up the fray and gave all guilty parties detention
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as in erodes
to damage or diminish by continued friction
constant rubbing against the rock face has badly frayed our climbing rope
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of frays
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 29 Sep. 2025
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
Inspired by Greece, Di Petsa recreated sandy beaches as tan denim dresses with loose frays acting as sea foam crashing on shore.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
Conjuring the troubled inner life of a young, beautiful and successful Buenos Aires fashion designer with an uncommon mix of stylistic rigor and feeling, the film frays your nerves.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frays
Noun
-
Let’s tie it all together by predicting that the first meeting of the season between Toronto and Philadelphia gets well and truly out of control … which by today’s standards means there are three fights in the game.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Unions, fights, and trash – oh my!—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
As the moon clashes with Venus, you’ve been left out of the group chat’s plans.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
-
The issue has become increasingly important following a surge in sectarian clashes in recent months that left hundreds of civilians from Syria’s Alawite and Druze communities dead, many reportedly at the hands of fighters aligned with pro-government forces.—
Eyad Kourdi,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Big-market brawls between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees now happen yearly.—
Evan Drellich,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
-
The curfew came following brawls with police, a racist threat and gunfire that led to a riot in the heart of Milwaukee's Black neighborhood on the city's north side.—
Steven Martinez,
jsonline.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
If the veracity and reliability of government data are regularly criticized and devalued by the administration anytime the facts contradict the administration’s positions, and those who speak out are at risk of losing their jobs, trust in all government data, and the agencies themselves, erodes.—
Sheldon Jacobson,
Twin Cities,
25 Sep. 2025
-
That erodes public trust in the armed forces.—
Kristina Mani,
The Conversation,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
As Rogers’ rocky form will testify, Villa’s attacking struggles have not been through a lack of service, but rather the profligacy in possession.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
In correspondence that Khan made available to the investigators, his accuser appears to be very warm, prone to disclosure about her personal life and struggles, highly solicitous of Khan and his wife, and perhaps overeager.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
5 Oct. 2025
Noun
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These issues are not unique to the WNBA, as its affiliate league, the NBA, has weathered refereeing controversies and skirmishes over player pay for years.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
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All these years later, Corigliano’s symphony has outlasted those skirmishes and emerged sounding fresh and exciting and powerful.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Still heartbroken years after the split, Richard wears his anger and pain on his sleeve, but his only goal in life is to keep his daughter safe.—
Claire Franken,
TVLine,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Her design uses the Union Jack for the lining that Yasmin Le Bon wears in the campaign with a Breton T-shirt, white trousers and riding boots.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
Footwear News,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The lawsuit opens a new front in the legal battles the White House is waging against state and local officials, coming just hours after a federal judge blocked a similar deployment of the guard to Portland, Oregon.—
Dakin Andone,
CNN Money,
6 Oct. 2025
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While Burton has attempted to reboot the series himself, past efforts were stalled by legal battles with Buffalo Toronto Public Media.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Frays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frays. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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