fret 1 of 2

Definition of fretnext
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

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2
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

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4
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

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
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
  • The speakers also argued the move will push people to work without a license and erode state oversight of crucial industries.
    ALEJANDRO SERRANO The Texas Tribune, Arkansas Online, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Eva Bermúdez Zimmerman, executive director of Child Care For CT, said that the Manchester closure reflects broader pressures eroding the existing care infrastructure.
    Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Cops are searching for multiple suspects wearing ski masks last seen fleeing the scene on foot.
    Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
  • He was last seen wearing a denim shirt and jeans.
    Jeff Nguyen, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In the 19th, Grace Panetta studied the answers in another Navigator focus group, from young women worried about economic ups and downs.
    David Weigel, semafor.com, 26 Mar. 2026
  • But residents worry what's next amid heightened military presence.
    Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Even minimal exposure to artificial lights irritated his burns, and recovery took months.
    Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Many people have come out of the woodwork and jumped on the bandwagon, which irritated me.
    Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Two decades ago, his grandfather was riding his bicycle when he got cut off by a car, and squeezed his brakes in a panic.
    Scott Horsley, NPR, 29 Mar. 2026
  • No endgame That ought to provide some perspective on the panic over the war in the Middle East.
    Bret Stephens, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Martha sat on the other bed and thought about what a perverse species humans were—to insist on eating something that had tried so hard to be inedible.
    Cassandra Neyenesch, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Because of that, Moody’s has taken a number of downward ratings actions against producers, because the oversupply eats away at margins and the capacity to pay debt is eroding.
    Kevin Williams, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • But that sense of belonging has frayed.
    Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 22 Mar. 2026
  • Friendships fraying, puberty unevenly invading our bodies in ways both private and horrifically public.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The day started with bad vibes when two-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom was scratched from his start with a neck injury.
    Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Mar. 2026
  • Rookie Owen Caissie, a late addition to the starting lineup after original first baseman Christopher Morel was scratched with a left oblique strain, then drove in Edwards with a double to left-center.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Fret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fret. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

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