Synonyms of frayed

frayed 1 of 2

adjective

ˈfrād 

as in tattered

worn or torn into or as if into rags

she wore a beloved but badly frayed flannel shirt

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tattered
• ragged
• faded
• shabby
• raggedy
• seedy
• shredded
• threadbare
• ratty
• worn-out
• scruffy
• dingy
• dilapidated
• dowdy
• patchy
• decrepit
• mangy
• lacerate
• holey
• tacky
• grungy
• tatterdemalion
• dog-eared
• broken-down
• scuzzy
• run-down
• moth-eaten

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• new
• unused
• brand-new
• spick-and-span

frayed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of fray

as in eroded

to damage or diminish by continued friction

constant rubbing against the rock face has badly frayed our climbing rope

Synonyms & Similar Words

• eroded
• wore
• rubbed
• frazzled
• chafed
• abraded
• reduced
• galled
• sharpened
• fretted
• erased
• scraped
• gnawed
• shaved
• rasped
• scuffed
• chewed
• corraded
• corroded
• ground
• sandpapered
• ate
• disintegrated
• scoured
• filed
• grated
• nibbled
• grazed
• sandblasted
• decomposed
• wiped (away)
• bit
• dissolved
• rubbed out
• wore out
• whetted
• honed
• broke down
• broke up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of frayed

Adjective

By the time Frey and Felder nearly came to blows backstage in the summer of 1980, however, those threads were too frayed to hold. — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 30 Aug. 2026

The pre-frayed hem on these stretchy flare jeans gives them a cool, Y2K feel. — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 15 Aug. 2026

Verb

Reconstituting the bilateral bond between the two countries, now frayed by more than a year of threats and punitive measures, will not happen overnight. — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 14 Aug. 2026

Moore’s frayed, full-volume, Barbie-pink ball gown with a distressed bow was a break from her usual structured looks. — Beatrice Dupuy, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026