All this bickering is starting to fray my nerves.
Source: tatoeba (567830)
Fray
/fɹeɪ/
Synonyms for "fray" (199 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (40)
Strong matches (60)
crazecutdiscorddisorderdisputedissensiondisturbancedogfightdonnybrookembroilmentencountereraseerodeexchange of blowsfightfilefire fightflash burnfracasfracture
Related words (99)
Noun(13 words)
mortal woundmussmutilatemutilationnaval combatpassage of armspiercepitched battlepuncturequarrelraspravelrazerendrentriotriprowrubrub away
Show 60 more words
rub offrub outruckusructionrumblerumpusrunrunning fightrupturesavagescaldscorchscotchscourscramblescrapscrapescratchscrimmagescrubscuffscufflesecond-degree burnshoving matchshredskinskirmishslashslitsoresprainstabstab woundstand-up fightstickstrainstreet fightstrifestruggletattertauromachytearthird-degree burntraumatraumatizetug-of-wartussleunravelwearwear awaywear downwear offwear outwear raggedwear thinweatherwoundwounds immedicablewranglewrench
Adjective(2 words)
occasional tearingtattered
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: ablate, abrade, abrade, abrase, abrasion.
- Sentence evidence is available for fray, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, wordnet, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "fray".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "fray"
Keep "fray" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "fray" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "fray", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "fray" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
21 entriesShowing 16 of 21 words.
More specific
13 entriesCollocations
12 entriesedge wearfray edgesfray fabricfray nervesfray patiencefray ropefray tempersfrayed edgefraying ropefraying seamin the frayinto the fray
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriesTranslations
52 translations across 19 languages.
Bulgarian
3 entries- износвам verb (to rub)
- оръфвам verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
- протърквам verb (to rub)
Catalan
2 entries- desfilar-se verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
- esfilagarsar verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 开线 verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
Czech
3 entries- dřít verb (to rub)
- roztřepit verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
- třepit verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
Dutch
1 entries- ontrafelen verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
Finnish
4 entries- harsuuntua verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
- hieroa verb (to rub)
- liestyä verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
- purkaantua verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
French
1 entries- effilocher verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
Galician
4 entries- conroer verb (to rub)
- esferpellar verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
- esfiañar verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
- esgarnachar verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
German
1 entries- ausfransen verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
Hebrew
2 entries- התבלה verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
- ריפט verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
Hungarian
4 entries- dörzsöl verb (to rub)
- elkoptat verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
- elnyű verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
- horzsol verb (to rub)
Māori
1 entries- tāwekoweko verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
Norwegian
1 entries- rakne verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
Occitan
2 entries- desfilar verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
- desfilargar verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
Portuguese
1 entries- desfiar verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
Russian
2 entries- расплета́ться verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
- распуска́ться verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
Spanish
4 entries- desflecar verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
- desflocar verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
- deshilachar verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
- deshilar verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
Turkish
1 entries- çözülmek verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
Ukrainian
3 entries- обтріпуватися verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
- пошарпатися verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
- торочитися verb (to rub or wear away (something); to cause (something made of strands twisted or woven together, such as cloth or rope) to unravel through friction)
Sample sentences
47 total sentences available.
I do not believe progress is possible if our desire to preserve our identities gives way to an impulse to dehumanize or dominate another group. If our religion leads us to persecute those of another faith, if we jail or beat people who are gay, if our traditions lead us to prevent girls from going to school, if we discriminate on the basis of race or tribe or ethnicity, then the fragile bonds of civilization will fray.
Source: tatoeba (5774045)
We have entreated Pan (whose statue stands beneath yonder pine, and whom you have never honoured even with a bunch of flowers) to succour Chloe, for he is more used to warfare than we are, and has often quitted his groves to join in the fray.
Source: tatoeba (6212759)
"High in the citadel the monstrous frame / pours forth an armed deluge to the day, / and Sinon, puffed with triumph, spreads the flame. / Part throng the gates, part block each narrow way; / such hosts Mycenae sends, such thousands to the fray."
Source: tatoeba (6817113)
Showing 4 of 47 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "fray"?
Closest matches include ablate, abrade, abrade, abrase, abrasion.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "fray"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.