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
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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
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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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It is expected that Mourinho will try to tighten control over leaks concerning internal dressing-room matters, something that has irritated the club this season — and which Alonso sought to tackle.—
Guillermo Rai,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
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Key Points Cayenne pepper can deter squirrels by irritating their senses without causing harm.—
Melissa Epifano,
The Spruce,
28 May 2026
Noun
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The onboard camera, sending video back to the remote pilot in real time, captures his panic.—
David L. Stern,
Washington Post,
31 May 2026
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In the years following, Beijing funded or armed fellow communists in Vietnam, North Korea, Burma, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia, causing panic in Washington and other Western capitals as the ideological struggles of the Cold War rippled across Asia.—
Dhruv Tikekar,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Houser grinded through a pair of long innings that ate into his pitch count, throwing 37 pitches in the first inning and 27 more pitches in the third inning.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
31 May 2026
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Cats become infected by eating raw meat, birds, mice or contaminated soil, and only cats that are actively shedding parasites in their stool can spread it.—
Dr. Megan Yanny,
Boston Herald,
31 May 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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Johnson, the second batter of the frame, hit a long fly ball to right field that kept carrying and scratched the wall as Jarrod Hocking attempted to rob it.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
29 May 2026
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Each spatula has a grippy handle and is made of flexible silicone that resists high cooking temperatures and won’t scratch bowls or bakeware.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fret. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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