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
Relevance
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
W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 30 May 2025
Workers fretted over responses, worried that DOGE might be asking for sensitive information without security clearances, Wired reported.
—Ashley Belanger – May 22, ArsTechnica, 22 May 2025
In Taiwanese-traditional matriarchal fashion, the grandmother starts fretting over twenty-something I-Ann’s (the filmmakers found Ma on Instagram) looser way of dress.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 May 2025
The director doesn’t need to fret about his legacy, but there’s an inherent worry about the responsibilities of fatherhood embedded into the DNA of this espionage-thriller-meets-ensemble-comedy.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for fret
Verb
A week before the debate, NBC News fretted about whether the fact-checkers would be able to stay on top of all the viral videos purporting to show a doddering Biden.
—W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 30 May 2025
Workers fretted over responses, worried that DOGE might be asking for sensitive information without security clearances, Wired reported.
—Ashley Belanger – May 22, ArsTechnica, 22 May 2025
In Taiwanese-traditional matriarchal fashion, the grandmother starts fretting over twenty-something I-Ann’s (the filmmakers found Ma on Instagram) looser way of dress.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 May 2025
The director doesn’t need to fret about his legacy, but there’s an inherent worry about the responsibilities of fatherhood embedded into the DNA of this espionage-thriller-meets-ensemble-comedy.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for fret
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fret
Verb
-
The persistent issue of greenwashing, where investments are promoted as sustainable without verifiable environmental benefits, has eroded trust and slowed market development.—
Edoardo Francesco Sabatino,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
-
Maryland’s coastlines are eroding at an alarming rate.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
5 June 2025
Verb
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One Amazon reviewer wore them during a trip to Italy and said their feet felt great after being on them all day in the heat.—
Rylee Johnston,
Travel + Leisure,
4 June 2025
-
Morgan wore an all black outfit, while his wife adorned a black dress with floral designs.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
4 June 2025
Verb
-
Participants worried that the policy has an inadvertent chilling effect, deterring individuals from calling 911 when an overdose occurs.—
Katherine LeMasters,
The Conversation,
13 June 2025
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Since the revolution, which transformed Iran into an Islamic Republic, Western nations have worried the country could use its nuclear program to produce atomic weapons using highly enriched uranium.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
13 June 2025
Verb
-
Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who Trump initially tapped to co-lead DOGE, pushed for an expansion of the program as way to attract global talent, irritating immigration hawks in the conservative movement.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
7 June 2025
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Plus, it’s made without parabens, phthalates, and sulfates, which may irritate some skin types.—
Jenny Berg,
Allure,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
He’s been with the UK dating show ever since the beginning, and when word spread that Iain Stirling was leaving Love Island UK, many fans went into panic.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
9 June 2025
-
Not knowing the new rules, there always is definitely a total panic and paranoia all the time.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
This spot for soccer fans offers lots of pub fare to eat and drink.—
Liz Rothaus Bertrand,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Mar. 2025
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The successful hatchings come about a year after Scout ate two of his chicks as a first-time dad, leaving the pair with no surviving eaglets from their first nesting season, McClatchy News previously reported.—
Olivia Lloyd,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Trump’s incendiary move has set a city whose nerves have been frayed all year further on edge, fearing there’s worse to come from him.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
-
In the meantime, the Biden-era alignment between Washington and Kyiv has frayed, as Trump and his administration have openly criticized Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
4 June 2025
Verb
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Traditional metrics like likes, shares and views only scratch the surface.—
Jehan Hamedi,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
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It is crafted from 100 percent fir wood that’s durable enough to withstand everything from cat scratches to wind gusts.—
Maggie Horton,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fret. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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