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
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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
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of fret
Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Even environmentalists like Al Gore who once fretted about catastrophic accidents and radioactive waste are warming to the technology.
—Brad Plumer, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2025
This doesn’t sound like a strategy session by a party fretting about the state of play.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Physicians and engineers alike fretted about the high stakes if a system malfunctioned.
—Carrie Arnold, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fret
Verb
Generations of workers have fretted about the future of Social Security, the retirement trust fund.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Even environmentalists like Al Gore who once fretted about catastrophic accidents and radioactive waste are warming to the technology.
—Brad Plumer, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2025
This doesn’t sound like a strategy session by a party fretting about the state of play.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Physicians and engineers alike fretted about the high stakes if a system malfunctioned.
—Carrie Arnold, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fret
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fret
Verb
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In particular, the city’s stormwater system is failing as pipes have eroded and caused sinkholes to pop up in some parts of the city.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
5 Nov. 2025
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While cord-cutting continues to erode the national pay-TV base, local sports has managed to offset any losses in linear reach with a rapidly expanding streaming audience.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Jenner also shared a mirror selfie, covering her chest with one arm and wearing a towel low on her waist.—
Janelle Ash,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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Upon arrival at Star Flat, travelers disembark the train wearing red light necklaces (to ensure no one gets lost), which provide light without compromising night vision.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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More broadly, the NBA has expressed concern about prop bets, while other sports leagues have worried about the potential for manipulation.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
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After Trump spoke to Lurie, local leaders and advocates worried that Trump would shift his attention from San Francisco, which at one point hosted more billionaires than any other city, to less powerful and more diverse enclaves like Oakland and Alameda.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Molnar said the team wanted to design a system that avoided irritating brain tissue.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Nov. 2025
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But Chelsea won’t have it, shutting the whole thing down in a way that clearly irritates her.—
Anne Victoria Clark,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Redirect their attention If your dog is anxious and barking in a panic, your first step is to remove them from the trigger.—
Madeline Gunderson,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
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At times, though, the panic would close in on me.—
Brad Schmitt,
Nashville Tennessean,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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This could make eating more enjoyable, leading to eating more.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
26 Oct. 2025
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The video showed dozens of videos and pictures sent to her, all featuring people eating McDonald's fries as a show of solidarity.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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However, India’s bilateral strategy is fraying.—
Pintu Kumar Mahla,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
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Ride Cadence Snowboard Boot But last season, due to general wear and tear, the metal cable of my laces started fraying.—
Lisa Jhung,
Outside,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But people are hard-pressed to find any time, let alone 30 years, to scratch these interpersonal surfaces, Brackett explains.—
Matt Fuchs,
Time,
4 Nov. 2025
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Stein recommends avoiding using abrasive cleaners or tools that can scratch the stainless steel.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
2 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fret. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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