1
as in battle
a forceful effort to reach a goal or objective
another generation of scientists entered the fray to find a cure for AIDS
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2
as in skirmish
a physical dispute between opposing individuals or groups
a troubled youth always getting into frays at school
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in brawl
a rough and often noisy fight usually involving several people
school officials broke up the fray and gave all guilty parties detention
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as in to erode
to damage or diminish by continued friction
constant rubbing against the rock face has badly frayed our climbing rope
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of fray
Leah Faye Cooper, Vogue, 27 Sep. 2024
The utopian founders of Planet issued their appeal even as waves of Russian missiles blitzed Ukraine, and as President Vladimir V. Putin threatened to deploy Russia’s massive nuclear weapons arsenal against any NATO nation that directly entered the fray.
—Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024
Tony Blengino, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
The film’s empathy exists mostly in the abstract, as Finn overdoes Skye’s fraying consciousness.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fray 
Noun
Last night, yet another event entered the fray: Athlos, a first-of-its-kind track event and celebration of women’s sports at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island.
—Leah Faye Cooper, Vogue, 27 Sep. 2024
The utopian founders of Planet issued their appeal even as waves of Russian missiles blitzed Ukraine, and as President Vladimir V. Putin threatened to deploy Russia’s massive nuclear weapons arsenal against any NATO nation that directly entered the fray.
—Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024
Verb
Cole’s competitive edge was frayed, and he was quickly reached for a two-run single by Freeman and a game-tying two-run double by Teoscar Hernandez.
—Tony Blengino, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
The film’s empathy exists mostly in the abstract, as Finn overdoes Skye’s fraying consciousness.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fray
Noun
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As other suburban Indiana school board races have become embroiled in culture war battles and heated partisan rhetoric in recent elections, school board races in Hendrick’s County have stayed out of the fray.Caroline Beck, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Nov. 2024
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And after the chaos Washington descended into following the 2020 election, analysts might be prudent to assume Trump wouldn’t take another loss without an intense battle.Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The United States has consistently urged caution and restraint on both sides of the conflict, warning that the continuation of the skirmishes could unintentionally erupt into a broad regional war.Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Oct. 2024
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The commission must now fight a separate legal battle in a bid to enforce the fine — one of many skirmishes pitting the Australian government against tech mogul Musk.Eleanor Pringle, Fortune Asia, 4 Oct. 2024
Noun
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The plot gets more ridiculous from there but everyone in the cast — especially Evans — sells it with a wink while director/co-screenwriter George Huang stages martial-arts brawls and gunfights.Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
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The brawl would see multiple officials getting involved, including Owens hitting a Stunner on a referee and Orton hitting an RKO on Raw General Manager Adam Pearce.David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024
Verb
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On the macro level, those price increases would also erode consumer spending.Annie Nova,Rebecca Picciotto, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024
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Together, all these reflect attempts to erode the public’s trust in elections.ProPublica, ProPublica, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Each of these movies was smart, exciting, and relevant to the present moment, with a point of view that centered the daily struggles of ordinary folks.Noel Murray, Vulture, 18 Nov. 2024
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Humanity’s long-standing struggle to constitute itself in ever-more complex arrangements, so that no state gains absolute mastery over others, has achieved the status of a continuous, uninterrupted law of nature.Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Strange experiences prompt you to self-isolate as the moon clashes with Neptune.USA TODAY, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
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Tornadoes are less common but can happen in fall and winter as cold air clashes with warm, moist air streaming out of the Gulf of Mexico.Robert Shackelford, CNN, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Though both wear hats and masks and keep their heads down, there is one full-face photo caught on the Ring as a delivery man picks up the two-month-old mattress.Suzanne Seggerman, Curbed, 14 Nov. 2024
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The uniforms will be worn for six regular-season home games in total.Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 14 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Witnesses and surveillance video footage established that there were multiple fights involving the concerned parties throughout the evening.Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
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In 2022, President Joe Biden announced a new effort to protect old forests, which are key to the fight against climate change.April Ehrlich, ProPublica, 12 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near fray
Cite this Entry
“Fray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fray. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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