1
as in to erode
to consume or wear away gradually
over the span of thousands of years, the annual spring runoff fretted the rock, forming a deep channel
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to wear
to damage or diminish by continued friction
don't let the girth fret the horse's belly or you won't be able to ride him
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to worry
to experience concern or anxiety
don't fret over whether it will be sunny tomorrow, as there's nothing we can do about it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in panic
a state of nervous or irritated concern
one of my customers always gets into a fret if I'm so much as 15 minutes late delivering his newspaper
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fret
Andrew Keatts, Axios, 13 Mar. 2025
Investors are fretting about Trump's policies and growing concern about a recession hitting the U.S. this year.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025
The good news is America’s top economist, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, is not fretting just yet.
—David Goldman, CNN, 10 Mar. 2025
Even with that uncertainty days before the deadline, Greenway wasn’t fretting the way others might have been.
—Matthew Fairburn, The Athletic, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fret
Verb
Don't fret: less adventurous kids can opt for Madagascar vanilla, double chocolate or mile and cookies.
—Andrew Keatts, Axios, 13 Mar. 2025
Investors are fretting about Trump's policies and growing concern about a recession hitting the U.S. this year.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025
The good news is America’s top economist, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, is not fretting just yet.
—David Goldman, CNN, 10 Mar. 2025
Even with that uncertainty days before the deadline, Greenway wasn’t fretting the way others might have been.
—Matthew Fairburn, The Athletic, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fret
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fret
Verb
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Conversely, poor communication quickly erodes credibility, limiting potential growth.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
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Over time, excessive tilling leads to eroded and diminished topsoil, polluted waterways and ultimately less-vigorous crops and harvests.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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According to the Connecticut chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, the students were targeted for wearing hijabs.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2025
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In the series, Agatha Harkness wears a locket to remember her and Rio’s son Nicky.—
Lauren Coates,
Variety,
23 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Don't worry so much about what percentage of credit each contact point should receive.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
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Not worrying about getting dirty or anything like that.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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First, coffee is significantly more acidic than matcha, which can irritate some people's stomachs or cause heartburn.—
Sohaib Imtiaz,
Verywell Health,
26 Mar. 2025
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She’s disillusioned with her boyfriend and irritated by her mother.—
Manuel Betancourt,
Variety,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The sudden panic over Florida's special elections has finally put President Trump on the same page as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.): The GOP's margin is too close for comfort.—
Marc Caputo,
Axios,
28 Mar. 2025
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Oh, and all of the action is taking place in a manufactured community...an enormous bunker inside a Colorado mountain used to protect thousands from an apocalyptic natural disaster made worse by nuclear panic.—
EW Staff,
EW.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Eating it: Some folks spoon directly into their mouths.—
Ann Maloney,
NOLA.com,
19 July 2017
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New this year to True Nature is a retreat for those with eating disorders and their family members.—
Plain Dealer guest writer,
cleveland.com,
19 July 2017
Verb
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Our protagonist, Sean Bruner (Ross Marquand), is a security guard working at a private school in Los Angeles who’s fraying under the pressures of impending fatherhood.—
Katie Rife,
IndieWire,
12 Mar. 2025
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Canada’s democracy has frayed and strained in the years since, but always held—Quebec’s independence movement was subdued by real concessions from the rest of the provinces, for instance.—
Bill McKibben,
The New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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While anyone can enjoy listening to albums or 45s on the go, KORG also includes a wide range of features aimed at DJs, including playback speed adjustment, a beat looper (which gives the ability to layer scratches over a beat loop), filters, a fader and delay effects.—
Brad Moon,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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By March 4, some 153 of the facilities managed to reopen as charities scratched together money, according to Ajyal Sultany, head of communications for WHO in Kabul.—
Khwaga Ghani,
NPR,
31 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fret. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
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