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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fray
Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2026
One of the original owners was Clark Gable, and for years, Hollywood stars escaped the fray of the city here.
—Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2025
Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 6 Jan. 2026
That alignment has since frayed.
—Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fray
Noun
More candidates could enter the fray, with qualifying scheduled for June 8 to 12.
—Verb
The magic is the result of long-staple cotton threads that are less likely to fray and feel rough to the touch.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for fray
Noun
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With a high-stakes battle for the 2026 midterms looming, the Evergreen State appears poised to join the trend of states using congressional redistricting for partisan advantage.—
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Rattler won the quarterback battle in training camp over Shough, but after going 1-7, Moore made the switch to his rookie.—
Noun
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Things then turned violent when someone tried to lunge at Black as marshals walked him out of the courtroom, leading to a skirmish appearing to involve about a dozen people.—
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Other conflict hotspots include India/Pakistan following a deadly skirmish in 2025, Congo/Rwanda, and the ongoing civil war in Sudan.—
Noun
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Investigators aren't saying if there's a connection between Henderson's death and brawls at the bar.—
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The reminder didn’t dissuade at least five park visitors from participating in a 2023 brawl that was captured on video, showing a woman and man throwing punches at each other and wrestling before others joined in.—
Verb
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Cultural, linguistic, and value-based assimilation challenges arise, potentially altering national identities and eroding civilizational confidence.—
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And policies that erode IP rights will ultimately slow the pace of innovation — and the prosperity that comes with it.—
Noun
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His struggles are hurting the Broncos in the biggest moments, too.—
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After all, there are signs that the economy is improving (unemployment and inflation are declining), but after the economic struggles of recent years, and with household debt still high, an additional financing source won't hurt, either.—
Noun
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The clashes have since descended into an all-out civil war, characterized by ethnic violence, attacks on civilians and atrocities committed by all sides, according to humanitarian groups and foreign governments.—
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Iranian state television aired images of clashes and fires, while the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that several police officers were killed overnight, underscoring the increasingly violent nature of the confrontations.—
Verb
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Meyer, meanwhile, wore a white graphic tee with black mini shorts and a Thom Browne top coat, W reported.—
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He was last seen wearing a red and black plaid shirt, dark jeans and brown steel-toe boots, police said.—
Noun
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Davisboro, Georgia Police Chief Leondus Dixon told CBS News a fight broke out among inmates during visitation hours at Washington State Prison in Davisboro.—
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Sheffey is jumping in the fight.—
Cite this Entry
“Fray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fray. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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