Meaning & use
frayed nerves
Last updated
UK/ˌfreɪd ˈnɜːvz/
US/ˌfreɪd ˈnɜːrvz/
Meaning
phraseplural
A state of feeling anxious, irritated, or tense, often after a difficult or stressful experience.
Grammar: Used as a plural noun phrase; often appears after 'have' or 'with'.
Patterns
- have frayed nerves
- with frayed nerves
- after a day of frayed nerves
After the long delay at the airport, everyone had frayed nerves.
She spoke calmly despite her frayed nerves.
He tried to hide his frayed nerves before the interview.
Common combinations
- frayed nerves
- The constant noise left me with frayed nerves.
- have frayed nerves
- They had frayed nerves after the argument.
- soothe frayed nerves
- A cup of tea helped soothe her frayed nerves.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tension
- Tension is a more general feeling of nervousness; frayed nerves suggests that the nervousness has been worn down by stress.
- anxiety
- Anxiety is a medical or psychological term for worry; frayed nerves is more informal and describes a temporary state.
- jitters
- Jitters are a feeling of nervousness before an event; frayed nerves often result from ongoing stress.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: frayed nerves or frayed?
frayed nerves vs frayed
Frayed alone means worn or unraveled, as in 'frayed rope'. Frayed nerves is a fixed phrase about emotions.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'frayed nerves' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The phrase is always plural: 'frayed nerves'. The other options use incorrect singular or article forms.
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