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
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 fret
EW.com, 28 Apr. 2025
With people afraid to look at their retirement accounts and others fretting about a possible recession and layoffs — fear around our individual and collective financial future can feel overwhelming.
—Katia Riddle, NPR, 28 Apr. 2025
But Goldman's Daniel Chavez has several explanations for why market participants don't need to fret.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025
Full Story Tax Watch GOP moderates fret over health care cuts
Moderate Republicans are worried about health care budget cuts their party is pursuing to help pay for the tax cut extensions at the center of the GOP’s legislative agenda.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fret
Verb
Tommy frets that there’s too much of Joel’s anger in her, but Gail assures him that nature, not nurture, does most of that work, and Ellie and Joel always had that in common.
—EW.com, 28 Apr. 2025
With people afraid to look at their retirement accounts and others fretting about a possible recession and layoffs — fear around our individual and collective financial future can feel overwhelming.
—Katia Riddle, NPR, 28 Apr. 2025
But Goldman's Daniel Chavez has several explanations for why market participants don't need to fret.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025
Full Story Tax Watch GOP moderates fret over health care cuts
Moderate Republicans are worried about health care budget cuts their party is pursuing to help pay for the tax cut extensions at the center of the GOP’s legislative agenda.
—Aris Folley, The Hill, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fret
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fret
Verb
-
But the collisions were brutal, eroding Means’ game in short time.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 May 2025
-
Yes, the minerals in hard water stains can eventually erode the metal fixtures and scratch the glass and tiles.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
Verb
-
For me, that means flying out of and into the same airports, using the same airline, sitting in the same seat number on both flights, and wearing my favorite travel pants: the G4Free Wide-leg Pants.—
Emily Belfiore,
Travel + Leisure,
11 May 2025
-
Cannon wears her children on her sleeve — literally.—
Anthony De Leon,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2025
Verb
-
Given the historical biases in hiring practices, many job seekers worry that AI might perpetuate or even amplify these biases.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
-
In 1956, a survey of over 2,000 professors showed that 61% had been contacted by the FBI; 40% worried that students might misrepresent their politics; and about a quarter would not express their views for fear of the government.—
Time,
Time,
20 May 2025
Verb
-
Use your hands: Since washcloths and sponges can irritate the skin, apply cleansers using your fingers, moving then over the skin in a circular motion.—
Mark Gurarie,
Verywell Health,
14 May 2025
-
Aggressive or improper neck manipulation can irritate or compress nerves in your cervical spine, causing pain, numbness, muscle weakness, or tingling that radiates into your shoulders, arms, or hands.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
12 May 2025
Noun
-
Heck, even fear of long lines at bars and clubs have been downgraded from panic to the typical annoyance.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
17 May 2025
-
In 2019, staff at a facility in Phoenix called 911 in a panic after a patient—who was reportedly vegetative but may have been minimally conscious—unexpectedly gave birth.—
Sarah Zhang,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2025
Verb
-
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
-
The calls came while eating lunch, while lying in bed at night.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Uproar over certain policies and uncertainty surrounding which leader to rally behind have also frayed internal cohesion.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
-
The two artists collaborated on numerous projects over the years, but their friendship began to fray after West, 47, voiced support for Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.—
Mitchell Peters,
Billboard,
11 May 2025
Verb
-
Names scratched into the rusty walls are a bad sign.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2025
-
When allergies affect feline skin, symptoms include scratching at their face and ears, scabs on their skin and fur loss.—
Jen Reeder,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fret. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share