: a usually disorderly or protracted fight, struggle, or dispute
Fighting there could easily draw neighboring nations into the fray.—
Blaine Harden
Blaine Harden… the patrician statesman who stood above the fray.—Richard D. Hylton
Richard D. Hylton
frayed; fraying; frays
1
a
: to wear (something, such as an edge of cloth) by or as if by rubbing : fret
b
: to separate the threads at the edge of
: a raveled place or worn spot (as on fabric)
Synonyms
Examples of fray in a Sentence
Noun (1)
another generation of scientists entered the fray to find a cure for AIDS
a troubled youth always getting into frays at school
school officials broke up the fray and gave all guilty parties detention
Verb (1)
constant rubbing against the rock face has badly frayed our climbing rope
Recent Examples on the Web
Gene Maddaus, Variety, 8 Feb. 2025
Many of the other 2004 competitors regrouped to try again, and new ones entered the fray.
—IEEE Spectrum, 1 Feb. 2025
Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2025
Elsewhere, there were talisman-esque adornments on shrunken and frayed knits.
—Scarlett Conlon, CNN, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for fray 
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Noun
But well before Trump entered the fray last fall, the merger was drawing fire from minority shareholders.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 8 Feb. 2025
Many of the other 2004 competitors regrouped to try again, and new ones entered the fray.
—IEEE Spectrum, 1 Feb. 2025
Verb
The trust that underpinned Maryland’s politics is fraying, weakened by the bad-faith accusations of our current governor against our former governor.
—Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2025
Elsewhere, there were talisman-esque adornments on shrunken and frayed knits.
—Scarlett Conlon, CNN, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for fray
Dictionary Entries Near fray
Cite this Entry
“Fray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fray. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
fray
1 of 2 noun
: an usually disorderly or long fight, struggle, or dispute
fray
2 of 2 verb1
a
: to wear (as an edge of cloth) by or as if by rubbing
b
: to separate the threads at the edge of
cutoff jeans with frayed edges
2
: to show or cause to show signs of strain
nerves were beginning to fray
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