EN

Synonyms for fray

  • noun
  • verb

Most common

battle feud brawl scuffle melee

Synonyms by meaning

Noun

1. Affray — conflict, disagreement

battle, fight, feud, brawl, conflict, combat, scuffle, quarrel, riot, ruffle, disturbance, broil, fracas, skirmish, tumult, contention, altercation, rumpus, ruction, affray dated

Other

melee

Verb

1. Chafe

chafe, fret, rub, scratch, wear, scrape

Other

frazzle, defray, effray dated

Definitions

  1. n. 1

    Conflict, disagreement.

  2. v. 1

    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; also, to irritate (something) through chafing or rubbing; to chafe.

Related words

Word family
frayproof

Forms

Plural
frays → battles, fights, feuds, brawls…
Past participle
frayed
e.g. frayed → chafed, fretted, rubbed, scratched…

Example sentences

  • battle Hitler and his allies had won battle after battle.
  • feud There was a feud between Yanni and his ex-boss.
  • brawl Sami and Farid had a brawl right before Christmas.
  • scuffle Miroslav and Rima had a little scuffle over that.
  • melee A melee ensued after an altercation at the bar.

Popularity over time

Word1850 → 2019Trend
frayrising
battlerising
feudsteady
brawlrising
scufflerising
meleerising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters
rub1
4 letters
wear1, riot2, feud1, fret1
5 letters
fight1, brawl1, melee2, broil1, chafe1
6 letters
battle2, combat2, scrape1, ruffle2, tumult2, fracas2, defray2, rumpus, affray, effray
7 letters
scratch1, quarrel2, scuffle2, frazzle2, ruction
8 letters
conflict2, skirmish2
10 letters
contention3
11 letters
disturbance3, altercation4

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (riot2 = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français
bagarre
Español
pelea
Deutsch
Getümmel
Català
tumult