as in irritable
tending towards or characterized by agitation or irritability
They finally lulled the fretful baby to sleep. I kept having fretful thoughts about what would happen if we couldn't pay our bills.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fretful
Her father, a renowned music educator as well as a composer and conductor, was a conspicuous voice urging fretful Americans not to dismiss the music but to listen to what the songs had to say.
—
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Nov. 2024
There’s naïve Jill (Nicola Turner and then, in adulthood, Helena Wilson), excitable Ruby (Sophia Ally and Ophelia Lovibond), and fretful Gloria (Nancy Allsop and Leanne Best); and then—played by Lara McDonnell as a teen and by Donnelly in a pointed piece of double-casting as an adult—there’s Joan.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2024
Which is neurotically fretful for a chef who prides himself on buying the very best ingredients in the market.
—John Mariani, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2024
In 2020, Joe did sterling work managing the inheritance of the Trump administration, but for weeks there’s been a fretful question mark over his ability to win reelection.
—Raven Smith, Vogue, 22 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for fretful
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Nov. 2024
There’s naïve Jill (Nicola Turner and then, in adulthood, Helena Wilson), excitable Ruby (Sophia Ally and Ophelia Lovibond), and fretful Gloria (Nancy Allsop and Leanne Best); and then—played by Lara McDonnell as a teen and by Donnelly in a pointed piece of double-casting as an adult—there’s Joan.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2024
Which is neurotically fretful for a chef who prides himself on buying the very best ingredients in the market.
—John Mariani, Forbes, 3 Sep. 2024
In 2020, Joe did sterling work managing the inheritance of the Trump administration, but for weeks there’s been a fretful question mark over his ability to win reelection.
—Raven Smith, Vogue, 22 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for fretful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fretful
Adjective
-
Strong winds also may have North Texans feeling more irritable, which scientists blame on there being too many positive ions in the air.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Signs of overextension burnout include feeling emotionally drained, becoming irritable and struggling to focus—all of which can affect both your work and personal life.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
As the end of the sale nears, the company running things becomes more and more anxious to sell as much of the merchandise as possible.—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
22 Mar. 2025
-
Highlight your expertise—maybe that's handling anxious children or those with special needs.—
Ajay Prasad,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The former had Tom Hardy as a troubled guy named Locke watching his life unravel during a feature-length road trip.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2025
-
Setting: The Maldives Main Characters Patrick Schwarzenegger as Tristan Kennedy A charismatic but troubled political scion trying to escape his family’s legacy.—
Martine Paris,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
While the crew was meeting to decide whether or not to turn the plane around, Augustin became more agitated and began punching and kicking the seat and passenger in front of him, the court document says.—
Jonathan Limehouse,
USA TODAY,
13 Mar. 2025
-
As the teen grows increasingly agitated by Briony’s questioning, desperate to take charge of the conversation, the camera pans around the pair, giving the audience a feeling of cage-like entrapment.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Former Trump economic adviser Stephen Moore is increasingly worried about the ongoing plunge in consumer confidence.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2025
-
If the Yankees are worried about pitching, Kevin Cash isn’t with his Rays.—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Dogs might feel scared and nervous or have separation anxiety while home alone.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Mar. 2025
-
If people are scared and nervous, that in and of itself is harm.—
Stephen Daw,
Billboard,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Here’s an assessment of the weight of the evidence, after another rough week — but one that ended in a perky, if apprehensive, rally off a six-month low Friday afternoon, leaving the S & P 500 more than 6% from its record high reached less than three weeks ago — in the form of a bull-bear debate.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
8 Mar. 2025
-
At the sight of the beautiful low-angle glade covered in undulating powder, the Rogers duo looked equally excited and apprehensive.—
David Goodman,
New York Times,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Rojas’s recollections weren’t peevish—fine work was produced under these conditions.—
Ian Parker,
The New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2025
-
The songs are muscular and syncretic as ever, but the normally peevish rapper doesn’t maintain his trolling energy for the full record, settling into a questioning and pensive pace.—
Stephen Kearse,
TIME,
8 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Fretful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fretful. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share