FRET Synonyms: 113 Similar and Opposite Words

fret 1 of 2

verb

ˈfret

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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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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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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as in to irritate

to make sore by continued rubbing the stiff, starchy collar was fretting my neck, and I couldn't wait to change out of that costume

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fret

2 of 2

noun

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

Verb

Know More Investors in recent days have fretted about the Paramount bid’s footing. —

Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 23 Mar. 2026 Here are three reasons the Fed's latest economic outlook is causing investors to fret. —

Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026 The doomers fret over rogue superintelligence, an AI that accidentally eliminates us while fulfilling a paper clip order. —

Joe Hagan, Vanity Fair, 18 Mar. 2026 But don’t fret, lower prices should be around the bend. —

Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fret

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fret

Verb

That vision of worldwide economic and cultural interdependence that enabled the proliferation of biennials in the ’90s has been steadily eroding amid the recent rise in nativism and far-right movements in the United States and Europe.

— Smooth Nzewi, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
Over time, this can concentrate gains and strain the labor tax base, eroding the revenue streams that underpin the broader economy—funding health care, retirement benefits and basic economic security.

— Ravi Kumar S, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026