adjective

fraught

/frɔːt/ · say it: FRAWT

full of tension or danger

In From the Front Page

In more detail

1. (adjective) full of worry, difficulty, or danger

2. (adjective) loaded or filled with something (usually negative)

Examples

1. The meeting was fraught with tension between the two managers.
2. His explanation was fraught with errors and contradictions.

How to use fraught

Fraught describes a situation or relationship that is filled with problems, danger, or difficulty, often evoking a sense of underlying tension or anxiety. It typically appears with 'with' when followed by a noun (fraught with peril) but can also stand alone as an adjective (a fraught conversation). The word carries a somewhat literary or formal tone and is often used in news media and academic contexts.

Common phrases

fraught with danger
fraught with difficulty
fraught relationship
fraught situation
fraught with tension

Synonyms

tense · stressful · perilous · charged · laden

Opposites

calm · peaceful · straightforward

Word family

fraught (adjective) · freighted (related archaic verb)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use fraught as a verb (e.g., 'the situation fraught') when it is only an adjective; it does not take the form 'fraught' as a past participle of a regular verb.

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