1
as in eroding
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 wearing
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 worrying
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
4
as in irritating
to make sore by continued rubbing
the stiff, starchy collar was fretting my neck, and I couldn't wait to change out of that costume
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in fretful
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fretting
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025
Down the road elsewhere in Newark, Mitch Gambert, CEO and owner of Gambert Shirtmakers, is fretting over the future of his business due to the upheaval caused by the administration’s ever-evolving trade policy.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 14 Aug. 2025
Consolidation has been another trend, with some fretting over Amazon merging Wondery into Audible and cutting staff.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2025
Some YouTube users are already fretting about getting incorrectly flagged by the technology, and privacy experts have raised concerns about adults handing over sensitive personal information to verify their age.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Portraying the ghost of Hamlet’s father at the play’s debut, his face and body covered in chalky white paint, his Shakespeare steps through the looking glass and becomes his own tragic player, strutting and fretting his hour upon the stage.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025
Down the road elsewhere in Newark, Mitch Gambert, CEO and owner of Gambert Shirtmakers, is fretting over the future of his business due to the upheaval caused by the administration’s ever-evolving trade policy.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 14 Aug. 2025
Consolidation has been another trend, with some fretting over Amazon merging Wondery into Audible and cutting staff.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2025
Some YouTube users are already fretting about getting incorrectly flagged by the technology, and privacy experts have raised concerns about adults handing over sensitive personal information to verify their age.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fretting
Verb
-
Rising living costs, inflation eroding purchasing power, and longer life spans have all made stepping away from the workforce more difficult than ever.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Since 2019, cumulative inflation stands at 26%, eroding any real progress made through job-hopping or promotions.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Mourners, many of whom were visibly upset and wearing Walmart uniforms, placed electric candles at the memorial.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
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Citations for not having headlights on during rain, fog or smoke and for not wearing a seatbelt were also dismissed.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Patients often wait until the doctor is standing up to leave before blurting out their real concern, which is typically a sensitive or time-consuming problem, such as wanting to start birth control, having painful periods, or worrying about pregnancy or STDs.—
Dr. Jill Grimes,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
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Losing or leaving a job is already stressful enough without worrying about when your last paycheck will show up.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
However, Agnes is dressed exactly like Wednesday and her Single White Female act is irritating the hell out of her hero.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Pesky skeeters are irritating Lake County residents as the number of insects carrying the worrisome West Nile Virus climbs.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Investors are fretful heading into the August payrolls report.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Despite the fretful retreat staged by most House Democrats, preliminary polling shows significant public support for Trump’s impeachment.—
Chris Lehmann,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Making some art, eating some really good food, and then ending with a sunset at Blacks Beach.—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Sep. 2025
-
In December, a scientific committee concluded two years of intensive research on what Americans should be eating by saying that there was not enough research to recommend people drink any other type of milk than fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1% or 2%).—
Alana Semuels,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
What was once envisioned as a vital partnership of the 21st century is fraying—and becoming another source of uncertainty in a world order that seems to be unraveling.—
Vaibhav Vats,
The Atlantic,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Advertisement Sports fandom has a special power to connect people, especially at a time when so many of our traditional civic bonds are fraying.—
Todd Rogers,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The cats kept them up each night with their incessant whining and scratching at their doors.—
Duaa Eldeib,
ProPublica,
10 Sep. 2025
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As a player just scratching the surface of his potential with so much still ahead of him, the coming months are critical to his hopes of landing an invite to Italy.—
Chris Johnston,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fretting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fretting. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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