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An early instance of the word fraught occurs in the 14th century poem Richard Coer de Lion, about England’s King Richard I. “The drowmound was so hevy fraught / That unethe myght it saylen aught” is about a large fast-sailing ship so heavily fraught—that is, loaded—that it can barely sail. The use is typical for the time; originally, something that was fraught was laden with freight. For centuries, fraught continued to be used in relation to loaded ships, but its use was eventually broadened for situations that are heavy with tension, emotion, or some other weighty characteristic.
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Examples of fraught in a Sentence
Charna Flam, People.com, 14 Feb. 2025
Swinton’s speech comes amid a tense global political environment that continues to be fraught as Trump continues his first month in office.
—Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2025
While Cal’s relationship with his son was fraught in the end, his relationship with his own father, Kane, was even more complicated.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2025
Heading to Kentucky in April to catch some qualifying races at Keeneland will be less fraught than May, as fewer visitors mean a much more local vibe.
—Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 7 Feb. 2025
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Dictionary Entries Near fraught
Cite this Entry
“Fraught.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fraught. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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