View synonyms for frayed

frayed

[ freyd ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

worn to loose, raveled threads or fibers at the outer surface, edge, or end:
I wouldn’t trust that frayed rope to hold anybody’s weight.
She hid her hands in the frayed sleeves of her bathrobe.
strained, taxed, or weakened by constant stress; frazzled:
We're going to have a lot of frayed relationships coming out of this crisis.
Candlelight and soft music can soothe frayed nerves after a rough day.

Origin of frayed¹

First recorded in 1810–20; fray ² + -ed ²( def ) for the adjective senses; fray ² + -ed ¹( def ) for the verb sense

Under the table, I could see that his combat boots were actually black sneakers, frayed at the seams.

The remaining 10 or so libraries hold frayed remains of ancient books on Quranic studies, science, and law.

Time will tell if the friendships frayed by this conflict will ever be repaired.

Instead, we have watched the bonds that hold Americans together become more frayed.

In this aqua blanket with its frayed edges I smelled home: warm laundry, bacon frying, coffee and cigarettes.

Nevertheless, he was girt with a sword in a ragged scabbard hanging from a frayed and shabby belt of leather.

Let alone its being months behind the fashion, it was frayed around the bottom and the front breadth was sorely stained.

And MacRae's patience snapped like a frayed thread before many minutes of futile query.

On the tenth floor, he moved quickly down the frayed carpet of a corridor and found the service stairs.

He raised his frayed cap politely and asked whether she were Mademoiselle Orlebar.

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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