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
Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 27 Oct. 2024
Iran’s leaders likely saw themselves as having only bad choices: stand by and lose both what was left of its diminishing deterrence as an adversary and credibility as an ally, or enter the fray once more despite the risk of an even greater counterstrike from Israel.
—Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024
Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2024
In the days after Upton’s arrest, her mind continued to fray.
—Christopher Damien, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fray 
Noun
Marching into that fray will be hundreds of poll chaplains and peacekeepers – priests, pastors, rabbis and imams as well as nuns, deacons, choir directors or Sunday school teachers.
—Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 27 Oct. 2024
Iran’s leaders likely saw themselves as having only bad choices: stand by and lose both what was left of its diminishing deterrence as an adversary and credibility as an ally, or enter the fray once more despite the risk of an even greater counterstrike from Israel.
—Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024
Verb
Their bond begins to fray, and betrayal—once utterly unthinkable—now becomes all too possible.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2024
In the days after Upton’s arrest, her mind continued to fray.
—Christopher Damien, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fray
Noun
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According to her official The Voice bio, Simon began playing the guitar at age 8, when her parents bought her the instrument to help distract from her mother's battle with an aggressive spinal cancer.Daniela Avila, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024
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That campaign, started during Barack Obama’s presidency, included battles in Mosul, where an effort to evict approximately 5,000 ISIS fighters in the city led to perhaps 10,000 civilian deaths and the destruction of the city.Eugene Kontorovich, The Atlantic, 27 Nov. 2024
Noun
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The refrain, a nod to Cali street skirmishes, is simple, yet emphatic — an easily repeatable hook that could send the track to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.Peter A. Berry, Variety, 24 Nov. 2024
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As evident in the 60th Mechanized Brigade’s video of the recent skirmish, a Javelin angles up then dives down on its target in order to strike where combat vehicles’ armor is thinnest: on top.David Axe, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Another video verified by NBC News showed a brawl break out outside Amsterdam Central Station after the game, in what the photographer described as an attack by Israeli fans on local residents.Freddie Clayton, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024
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Kevin Owens was supposed to face Randy Orton at WWE Crown Jewel, but the match never took place after the friends-turned-rivals got into a wild brawl before the bell rang.Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 2 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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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
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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
Noun
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After sidestepping any possibility of Jones triggering a $23 million injury guarantee by benching the starter, the Giants are giving DeVito another audition in the nation’s biggest media market—which includes a Thanksgiving clash with the Dallas Cowboys.Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 20 Nov. 2024
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Western leaders including Biden have said that avoiding a direct clash between Russia and NATO is a top priority given the danger of nuclear war.David Brennan, ABC News, 19 Nov. 2024
Verb
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My eleven-year-old daughter wore a blue parka year-round.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2024
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The men are wearing shorts, T-shirts, and flip-flops—no respirators or other safety gear in sight.Vince Beiser, WIRED, 30 Nov. 2024
Noun
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This approach also raises questions about whether Trump would encourage his Justice Department to let up the fight to break up Google, and how the DOJ would handle ongoing antitrust cases against tech giants, including Apple.Clare Duffy, CNN, 29 Nov. 2024
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Hence, their fight for cultural survival is also a global fight against deforestation and climate destruction.Nemonte Nenquimo, WIRED, 29 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near fray
Cite this Entry
“Fray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fray. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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