FRETFUL Synonyms: 210 Similar and Opposite Words

fretful

adjective

Definition of fretful

as in irritable

tending towards or characterized by agitation or irritability They finally lulled the fretful baby to sleep. I kept having fretful thoughts about what would happen if we couldn't pay our bills.

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Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of fretful The quintessential late-’80s teen, Ryder here plays a fretful mom. — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 27 Nov. 2025 But that doesn’t mean viewers won’t be increasingly exasperated by the ways the screenplay forces Knightley’s character into a clumsy, fretful investigation. — The New York Times, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 Investors are fretful heading into the August payrolls report. — Sarah Min, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025 Suddenly the Toronto crowd’s sound turned from festive to fretful. — Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for fretful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fretful

Adjective

Skipping meals can negatively affect blood sugar levels and leave you feeling hungry, irritable, and unable to pay attention.

— Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 12 Aug. 2026
Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, an irritable, cynical weatherman sent to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to report a story about the town’s quaint groundhog ceremony.

— David Faris, TheWeek, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of irritable

Adjective

Fortunately for the anxious among us, and less fortunately for those still loyal to the dying rituals of interpersonal correspondence, Cynthia has recently moved to online reservations.

— Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
Yet even the president’s die-hard supporters are becoming more anxious about the costs associated with the war.

— Zac Anderson, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of anxious

Adjective

Both scandals spurred reforms by state lawmakers that nevertheless failed to streamline a complex disciplinary process and left gaps for troubled businesses to continue operating.

— Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
Jesus showed that physical problems, troubled relationships, financial needs, and even personal wilderness experiences can be resolved by holding thought to Mind’s all-powerful, entirely good reality.

— The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of troubled

Adjective

Why people don’t like it Some residents are worried about how these sprawling energy farms will affect local soil, especially near farmland.

— AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 20 Aug. 2026
The drop in tech talent in the Bay Area comes as workers grow more worried that AI could lead to fewer jobs.

— Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of worried

Adjective

Until Bezos, or any of his new partners, speak publicly, the conversation about what comes next will be nervous.

— Simon Hughes, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
In a nervous market full of geopolitical tension, IPOs have attracted a lot of investor attention, with AI darlings Anthropic and OpenAI preparing for their own debuts.

— Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of nervous

Adjective

Wayne Davis, a 69, is a year old security officer from Sacramento who remained apprehensive with his eyes peeled in all directions.

— Matthew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Lavoie, who is of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation heritage and grew up on a First Nation reserve in Quebec, was intrigued but a little apprehensive.

— Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026