Showing results for fraying. Search instead for faying.

fraying

VERB

shred, come apart

Synonyms

STRONGEST

erode frazzle unravel wear away

STRONG

chafe fret ravel rip rub tatter tear wear

WEAK

become ragged become threadbare wear thin

Antonyms

STRONG

please sew

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 question is how much difference the pronouncements of a priest can make in a world of brute force and fraying rules.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

Still, the leader of the host nation, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has tried to position herself as a mediator between the U.S. and Europe, staunchly defending the fraying trans-Atlantic alliance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

Fears that the Nvidia-OpenAI agreement is fraying reflect broader anxiety about how AI companies will come up with the vast amounts of investment needed to continue innovating.

From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026

If no deal emerges and the U.S. keeps pushing for ownership, the risks are potential trade frictions and a further fraying of long-held alliances.

From Barron's • Jan. 14, 2026

No longer did it seem as though I were clinging to survival by a fraying thread.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer