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
Tobias Burns, CNBC, 28 May 2026
Traders are all-in on AI, but Americans are fretting over its impact on jobs.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 24 May 2026
Mary Emerson, the Westbrook School Department's school nutrition director, said the Fishermen Feeding Mainers program has enabled her to serve fish to students without having to fret over the cost or how to source it.
—Joe Hernandez, NPR, 23 May 2026
Need not fret, dear reader, that body of work is still coming.
—Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fret
Verb
Multiple Wall Street firms fretted about the company's long-term growth prospects in the face of AI.
—Tobias Burns, CNBC, 28 May 2026
Traders are all-in on AI, but Americans are fretting over its impact on jobs.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 24 May 2026
Mary Emerson, the Westbrook School Department's school nutrition director, said the Fishermen Feeding Mainers program has enabled her to serve fish to students without having to fret over the cost or how to source it.
—Joe Hernandez, NPR, 23 May 2026
Need not fret, dear reader, that body of work is still coming.
—Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fret
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fret
Verb
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Given that nursing home costs can easily exceed tens of thousands of dollars annually — and often much more depending on location and level of care — those expenses can quickly erode a retirement nest egg.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
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Consequently, rising inflation has steadily eroded real purchasing power, leaving 59 percent of Americans without sufficient savings to absorb a minor financial shock, such as a $1,000 emergency.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Mark, on a skateboard, and Jacob, also wearing inline skates, followed a little more than an arm’s length behind.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2026
-
There’s a similar amount of personality within Hadspen House, where a Roman bust wears a necklace of seashells and a snug room is decorated in the colors of the croquet set outside on the lawn.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Considering its reputation and its placement on the World’s Best List, the clientele tends to be very international so those who don’t speak French need not worry.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
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Many of his fellow Republicans might find his campaign, as outlined to a reporter Wednesday, to be worrying on closer examination.—
Mathew Miranda,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Additionally, environmental factors such as tobacco smoke, pollution, pollen, dust, pet dander, laundry soaps, fragrances and more can irritate children’s skin or breathing passages.—
Dr. Daniel DiGiacomo,
Boston Herald,
7 June 2026
-
Why is my behavior or anybody else's behavior irritating you?—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Ednar Dayanghirang, director of the Office of Civil Defense in a nearby southern region, said more than 100 students attending morning flag-raising ceremonies sustained bruises and some fainted in panic at different elementary and high schools.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
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But that’s hard to square with the panic that took hold of Moscow last month, when an annual military parade was shortened for fear it would be interrupted by Ukrainian drones.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
7 June 2026
Verb
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Put simply, Maine would not be Maine without its lobster—and a trip to Maine wouldn’t be complete without eating some.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
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Unlike eating enough protein or seeing how hydration affects your skin, gut health is an important, yet somewhat immeasurable, key to human health.—
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner,
Martha Stewart,
6 June 2026
Verb
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His nerves were frayed and his sleep suffered.—
Bozorgmehr Sharafedin,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
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So when the seventh inning rolled around, his nerves were not frayed.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
Verb
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One of those 17 was a bullpen game — with Ober’s injury, the Twins currently have four starters on the roster — and in one game, the Twins had to press Woods Richardson into duty after scratching Rojas an hour before the game.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
7 June 2026
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Soler was scratched before Friday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers because of hip tightness.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fret. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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