Fray Definition & Meaning

American

British

Idioms

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms fray 1 American [frey] / freɪ /

noun

1. a fight, battle, or skirmish.

   Synonyms: war, strife, encounter, clash, contest, conflict, combat

2. a competition or contest, especially in sports.

   Synonyms: tourney, meet, match, tournament

3. a noisy quarrel or brawl.

   Synonyms: fracas, riot, squabble, spat, set-to, tiff, dispute, fight, altercation, melee, tussle

4. Archaic. fright.

verb (used with object)

1. Archaic. to frighten.

verb (used without object)

1. Archaic. to fight or brawl.

fray 2 American [frey] / freɪ /

verb (used with object)

1. to wear (cloth, rope, etc.) to loose, raveled threads or fibers at the edge or end; cause to ravel out.

   Our old washing machine frayed all of our towels.

   Synonyms: wear out, tatter, ravel

2. to wear by rubbing (sometimes followed bythrough ).

3. to cause strain on (something); upset; discompose.

   All that arguing is fraying my nerves.

   Synonyms: chafe, stress, irritate

4. to rub.

verb (used without object)

1. to wear into loose, raveled threads or fibers, as cloth; ravel out.

   My sweater frayed at the elbows.

2. to become strained or stressed.

   Jealousy could be a sign that your relationship is fraying.

3. to rub against something.

   tall grass fraying against my knees.

noun

1. a raveled or worn part, as in cloth.

   frays at the toes of well-worn sneakers.

fray 1 British / freɪ /

noun

1. a noisy quarrel

2. a fight or brawl

3. an archaic word for fright

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

1. (tr) to frighten

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 fray 2 British / freɪ /

verb

1. to wear or cause to wear away into tatters or loose threads, esp at an edge or end

2. to make or become strained or irritated

3. to rub or chafe (another object) or (of two objects) to rub against one another

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

1. a frayed place, as in cloth

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 fray Idioms

1. see enter the lists (fray).

Other Word Forms

• frayed adjective

Etymology

Origin of fray1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English frai; shortening of affray

Origin of fray2

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English fraien, from Old French frayer, freiier “to rub,” from Latin fricāre; friction

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The festival has had the air of an arthouse bubble when it comes to the topic of AI and the event's leadership is keeping above the fray.

From Barron's

Low blows from Wolves, but blows that may have landed on already frayed nerves.

From BBC

The countries' traditionally deep economic ties have frayed in recent years over issues ranging from claims of unfair trade practices to protectionism and the supply of critical minerals.

From Barron's

As a result, the relationship between Brunel and Epstein appeared to fray.

From The Wall Street Journal

Jonah could tell that Chip had already folded and unfolded it many times: the creases were beginning to fray.

From Literature

Related Words

• erode
• frazzle
• unravel
• wear away

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.