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
China’s own commitment to open source might also be fraying at the edges.
—
Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
The fraying ties prompted Islamabad to return almost three million Afghan nationals in recent months, straining Kabul’s scant resources.
—semafor.com, 3 Mar. 2026
The finest pitching prospect since Ubaldo Jimenez became undone, fraying at the seams as part of a rotation that should be buried underneath the batting cages at Salt River Fields and never be spoken of again.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 3 Mar. 2026
The show is mostly known in the States for launching the career of Rachel McAdams, but it can’t be understated how incredible Goss, playing the festival’s temperamental artistic director, is in it, a fraying bundle of nerves and passion that threatens to collapse on himself at any moment.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fraying
Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
The fraying ties prompted Islamabad to return almost three million Afghan nationals in recent months, straining Kabul’s scant resources.
—semafor.com, 3 Mar. 2026
The finest pitching prospect since Ubaldo Jimenez became undone, fraying at the seams as part of a rotation that should be buried underneath the batting cages at Salt River Fields and never be spoken of again.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 3 Mar. 2026
The show is mostly known in the States for launching the career of Rachel McAdams, but it can’t be understated how incredible Goss, playing the festival’s temperamental artistic director, is in it, a fraying bundle of nerves and passion that threatens to collapse on himself at any moment.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fraying
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fraying
Verb
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Equal citizenship is the foundation of democracy, and the framers sought to prevent politicans from eroding that foundation.—
David Cole,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
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And even those who do own their own home aren’t immune—taxes, energy bills, and grocery prices have all surged, quietly eroding the financial cushion many assumed would last decades.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Other tips include riding defensively around cars, using front and rear lights, wearing reflective vests in the dark, and avoiding biking under the influence of drugs or alcohol.—
Sarah Raza,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
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Not if the other team comes out wearing Dallas sweaters.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fraying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fraying. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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