Meaning & use
frayed nerve
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountablefigurative
A state of extreme mental strain or irritability, as if one's nerves are worn down.
Grammar: Often used in the plural 'frayed nerves' to refer to many people's tension.
Patterns
- frayed nerves
- a frayed nerve
After weeks of overtime, his frayed nerves made him snap at small problems.
The constant noise was wearing on her frayed nerves.
The team's frayed nerves showed in their tense silence before the match.
Word forms
| plural | frayed nerves |
|---|
Common combinations
- frayed nerves
- The delay only added to everyone's frayed nerves.
- soothe frayed nerves
- A cup of tea helped soothe her frayed nerves.
- a case of frayed nerves
- His outburst was just a case of frayed nerves.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tension
- Tension is a more general word for strain; 'frayed nerves' suggests the strain has made someone irritable or close to breaking.
- stress
- Stress can be long-term pressure; 'frayed nerves' focuses on the immediate, worn-out feeling.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: frayed nerve or raw nerve?
frayed nerve vs raw nerve
A 'raw nerve' is a sensitive topic that causes emotional pain, while 'frayed nerve' refers to a state of strain or irritability.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The plural 'frayed nerves' is the standard form for this figurative expression. Option 0 uses the singular, which is less common and sounds odd here. Options 2 and 3 have incorrect verb patterns after 'made'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “frayed nerve”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.