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
Relevance
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
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 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
-
What To Know The medical examiner's office said, when the remains were found, that the girl was wearing a tube top, black leggings, stud earrings and a yellow bracelet.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Pam shows her more photos, one of which features a young Cipher wearing a white medical coat and holding baby Marie.—
Olivia Singh,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This willingness of the AI to heap praise and act as a sycophant has worrying consequences for the populace as a whole.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
In fact, Federal Reserve policymakers have already started worrying about the housing market.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
14 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 fourth quarter of Sunday’s early-window games featured one head-scratching special teams play and a game in which two teams traded consecutive return scores in a span of 12 seconds.—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Both are resistant to cracking and scratching, but Apple says the second-generation material is three times more resistant to scratching.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fretting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fretting. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share