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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in erodes
to damage or diminish by continued friction
constant rubbing against the rock face has badly frayed our climbing rope
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of frays
Kareem Chehayeb,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
When that web frays, ecosystems lose their ability to store carbon and produce food, water, and oxygen, while withstanding climate stress.
—
Tatjana Baleta,
Time,
28 May 2026
Do not keep performing control while the process frays.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
26 May 2026
The social fabric of Paradise, meanwhile, frays as the bunker deals with the aftermath of season one and new secrets are uncovered about the city’s origins.
—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Apr. 2026
The departure of Matt Roy was hedged somewhat by the signing of Joel Edmundson two summers ago, but replacing Vladislav Gavrikov and Jordan Spence with Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci while Drew Doughty, 36 and in his 18th season, grays and frays has proven highly counterproductive.
—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
18 Apr. 2026
When cultural identity frays, advice subtly changes in tone.
—
Marc Cooper,
Forbes.com,
25 Mar. 2026
The blend of pea proteins, baobab seed oil, and hydrolyzed quinoa work to reinvigorate strands from the inside out, sealing any breakage and preventing new frays.
—
Danielle Sinay,
Glamour,
23 Mar. 2026
Moschino presented pleated jeans with carrot-shape legs and jeans outlined with frays.
—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
9 Mar. 2026
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
The coalition of supporters frays Still another issue is conflict within the legalization movement itself, particularly between the business and activist wings.
—
William Garriott,
The Conversation,
17 Apr. 2026
This particular aspect of the show frays the gripping tone that had been so masterfully crafted from its opening scene.
—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon kill at least 16 people as a new ceasefire with Hezbollah frays.
—
Kareem Chehayeb,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
When that web frays, ecosystems lose their ability to store carbon and produce food, water, and oxygen, while withstanding climate stress.
—
Tatjana Baleta,
Time,
28 May 2026
Do not keep performing control while the process frays.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
26 May 2026
The social fabric of Paradise, meanwhile, frays as the bunker deals with the aftermath of season one and new secrets are uncovered about the city’s origins.
—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Apr. 2026
The departure of Matt Roy was hedged somewhat by the signing of Joel Edmundson two summers ago, but replacing Vladislav Gavrikov and Jordan Spence with Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci while Drew Doughty, 36 and in his 18th season, grays and frays has proven highly counterproductive.
—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
18 Apr. 2026
When cultural identity frays, advice subtly changes in tone.
—
Marc Cooper,
Forbes.com,
25 Mar. 2026
The blend of pea proteins, baobab seed oil, and hydrolyzed quinoa work to reinvigorate strands from the inside out, sealing any breakage and preventing new frays.
—
Danielle Sinay,
Glamour,
23 Mar. 2026
Moschino presented pleated jeans with carrot-shape legs and jeans outlined with frays.
—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
Conjuring the troubled inner life of a young, successful Buenos Aires fashion designer with an uncommon mix of stylistic rigor and feeling, the film frays your nerves.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
The coalition of supporters frays Still another issue is conflict within the legalization movement itself, particularly between the business and activist wings.
—
William Garriott,
The Conversation,
17 Apr. 2026
This particular aspect of the show frays the gripping tone that had been so masterfully crafted from its opening scene.
—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frays
Noun
-
According to the warrant affidavit, the couple, who married in 2018, had frequent fights.
-
The game runs smoothly on PC with solid performance even during the busiest fights.
Noun
-
Social interactions may stir up complicated feelings when the Libra moon clashes with Mercury.
-
Enter Maddie’s Secret, Early’s directorial debut, which follows a chef at GourMaybe Test Kitchen whose rising place in the food-influencer world clashes with her lifelong struggle with bulimia.
Noun
-
Interspersed with the adventure – and quite a few brawls with bad guys – are flashbacks to Kara’s time on Krypton and adopting Krypto.
-
Such brawls can ignite without warning, and are among the reasons humans are forbidden by county law to get within 50 feet of the horses.
Verb
-
The best exits often happen while the story is still strong, before defensive thinking erodes momentum, talent and valuation.
-
This undermines financial stability, erodes reserves intended for true emergencies, and increases the likelihood of necessary cuts or emergency measures in the future.
Noun
-
But the focus stays very much on the struggles of married life.
-
The book came out when mental illness was heavily stigmatized; Styron paved the way for authors to write about their own struggles with depression and similar disorders.
Noun
-
While the war ended years before, the hostility spread from the stands — with skirmishes among supporters — into the field, when Maradona tricked the referee and the world with the World Cup’s most infamous goal, punching the ball into the net with his fist above England’s goalie Peter Shilton.
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Continue reading … — Two arrested as skirmishes erupt outside courthouse after Karmelo Anthony verdict.
Noun
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As Minnesota's Medicaid program broils in the hot seat over a recent round of federal fraud indictments, Indiana's Medicaid program is gaining national attention as a counter-example for its efforts to crack down on program eligibility and waste.
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This Ninja air-fries, roasts, broils, bakes, and dehydrates—all while using about 80 percent less energy than a regular oven.
Verb
-
Ellinger isn’t the only one who wears Costco on his sleeve.
-
Bonner, a third-year veteran who has worked his way up the roster as a former undrafted player, has a reputation as one of Miami’s five fastest players, consistently clocking one of the team’s top three speeds in practice based on the team’s tracker every player wears.
Cite this Entry
“Frays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frays. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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