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
Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 12 July 2025
But missing the peak, according to Lunsford, is nothing to fret about.
—Gina Park, CNN Money, 29 July 2025
Close watchers of the Treasury system were already fretting.
—Mary Childs, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
And while most people have fretted about the rising price of eggs, the possibility of viruses in our milk and the risk of a pandemic in humans, countless wild animals are dying almost entirely out of our view—so many that even the limited tallies scientists can make are incomprehensibly large.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 15 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for fret
Verb
The Georgia lawmaker has amplified theories regarding attempts to alter weather patterns throughout the U.S.
As Greene frets over meteorology, Trump loyalist Steve Bannon has warned of a gloomy forecast for House GOP incumbents.
—Ashleigh Fields, The Hill, 12 July 2025
But missing the peak, according to Lunsford, is nothing to fret about.
—Gina Park, CNN Money, 29 July 2025
Close watchers of the Treasury system were already fretting.
—Mary Childs, Harpers Magazine, 16 July 2025
And while most people have fretted about the rising price of eggs, the possibility of viruses in our milk and the risk of a pandemic in humans, countless wild animals are dying almost entirely out of our view—so many that even the limited tallies scientists can make are incomprehensibly large.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 15 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for fret
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fret
Verb
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At the same time, polls have shown confidence in the economy among Republicans eroding.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Most world powers say settlement expansion has eroded the viability of a two-state solution by fragmenting Palestinian territory.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Klan was more than happy to wear white after Labor Day too.—
Jody Mamone,
Hartford Courant,
15 Aug. 2025
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Gastineau and Favre were surrounded by multiple onlookers and Gastineau wore a microphone provided by the film crew.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Now, conservation experts worry the road will propel more urbanization.—
Natalia Jaramillo,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Aug. 2025
-
Half a world away at British University Vietnam, the starting point was different: academic misconduct reports were rising, and administrators worried that AI use was undermining rigor.—
Dr. Aviva Legatt,
Forbes.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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As Venus irritates Pluto, exploring an office entanglement might not be a good idea!—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
2 Aug. 2025
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In fact, vitamin C, chemical exfoliants (like glycolic, lactic, or salicylic acid), and retinol shouldn’t be used together all at once, since this combination can irritate and inflame the skin (including your existing hyperpigmentation).—
Jenna Ryu,
SELF,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
As Mackey and Noem bust into the theater, the audience scrambles in panic.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
7 Aug. 2025
-
A lot of this movie is just a close-up on her face avoiding — and occasionally giving into — panic.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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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
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The calls came while eating lunch, while lying in bed at night.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Once it was fully distributed, the network enjoyed only a brief peak period before the pay-TV bundle started to fray due to cord-cutting and the streaming revolution, making traditional network assets less appealing to their owners.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
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Bonds between the United States and Europe, which Botstein planned to honor, have also frayed.—
Shira Li Bartov,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Don't scratch: A healing tattoo may be itchy, but resist the urge to scratch.—
Mark Gurarie,
Health,
7 Aug. 2025
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Others shared clever ways to scratch the itch of shopping without actually spending any money.—
Malaka Gharib,
NPR,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fret. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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