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
Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
Its offerings also vary in pricepoint so those ready to splurge, get ready, and those on a tighter budget, don’t fret.
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 11 Apr. 2025
Hector, then 28, mentored young actors and fretted about promoting promiscuity.
—Jonathan Abrams, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Ingesting tiny plastic particles might seem inevitable, but over the past 10 years or so, Americans have grown understandably fearful about bits of plastic making their way into our food, fretting about microwaving food in plastic containers and drinking from plastic bottles.
—Hannah Seo, The Atlantic, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fret
Verb
For a long time, critics fretted over such differences, generally rating the German Weill above the American.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
Its offerings also vary in pricepoint so those ready to splurge, get ready, and those on a tighter budget, don’t fret.
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 11 Apr. 2025
Hector, then 28, mentored young actors and fretted about promoting promiscuity.
—Jonathan Abrams, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Ingesting tiny plastic particles might seem inevitable, but over the past 10 years or so, Americans have grown understandably fearful about bits of plastic making their way into our food, fretting about microwaving food in plastic containers and drinking from plastic bottles.
—Hannah Seo, The Atlantic, 29 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fret
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fret
Verb
-
The other is a more nebulous worry that programmable money, by definition, erodes individual autonomy.—
Zennon Kapron,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
-
There is no question that high tariffs will erode Chinese exporters’ access to the U.S. market.—
Zongyuan Zoe Liu,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Famously, stage and film star Sir Sean Connery openly discussed wearing a headpiece in all of his James Bond roles.—
Rhiannon Frater,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Inter won a free kick in the first minute of the second half — and Chivu, who wore a sporadically unclasped rugby scrum cap during the game, blasted it wide from 40 yards out, emphasising their total disinterest in mounting any meaningful attack.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
According to Breen’s brother-in-law, Corey Feist, many people worried that any move to take care of their mental health could affect their jobs.—
Christina Ray Stanton,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2025
-
Moran worries that Alvarado, a diabetic breast cancer survivor who suffers from high blood pressure and needs to eat and drink frequently, will have poor access to her medication in detention — or after deportation.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Pairing some active ingredients can irritate the skin, and other combinations may reduce the effectiveness of the ingredients.1 1.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Verywell Health,
18 Apr. 2025
-
This can be particularly irritating to eczema-prone skin.—
Sierra Leone Starks,
Allure,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Residents rushed out of homes and buildings in panic, the Associated Press reported.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
-
Some critics and analysts warn that the president removing the chair of the Federal Reserve, which has traditionally operated with independence from the government, would cause panic in the markets.—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The calls came while eating lunch, while lying in bed at night.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2025
-
This spot for soccer fans offers lots of pub fare to eat and drink.—
Liz Rothaus Bertrand,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
His shirt collar is frayed, and there’s a hole in the right elbow of his sweater.—
Domenico Starnone,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2025
-
Burnout frayed Patton’s love for sourcing and selling coffee.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
But the contradiction was apparent for anyone willing to scratch the surface: the three public suspensions and one defection from the Pentagon’s top ranks were all, until very recently, Hegseth loyalists.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
22 Apr. 2025
-
The surface of a cat tree is usually covered in a textured, carpet-like material for scratching.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fret. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share