as in panics
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
Relevance
1
as in erodes
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wears
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 worries
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of frets
Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2026
Yet Stastny frets about the electronic future.
—Michael Weissenstein, Fortune, 28 Dec. 2025
At the time, Gibson, the guitar company, had a high-end outlet at the adjacent Opry Mills Mall, and Hull stopped in with her father to get some new frets on her mandolin.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 26 Dec. 2025
But the good-neighbor vibe is starting to sour as Colombia frets about river access.
—John Otis, NPR, 7 Sep. 2025
As Kirk frets about commanding a hybrid Farragut–Enterprise (but mostly Enterprise) crew, Spock, Uhura, Scotty, and Chapel arrive with an assessment of the situation.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2025
Russell Shaw, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2025
Instead of asking if Kyle is okay, Fraser frets that her husband paid the tip.
—Emma Soren, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
The car, a 1970 Cadillac Eldorado that was modified to include strings and frets, was driven once by Elvis Presley during a concert in Las Vegas.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Jan. 2026
Yet Stastny frets about the electronic future.
—Michael Weissenstein, Fortune, 28 Dec. 2025
At the time, Gibson, the guitar company, had a high-end outlet at the adjacent Opry Mills Mall, and Hull stopped in with her father to get some new frets on her mandolin.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 26 Dec. 2025
But the good-neighbor vibe is starting to sour as Colombia frets about river access.
—John Otis, NPR, 7 Sep. 2025
As Kirk frets about commanding a hybrid Farragut–Enterprise (but mostly Enterprise) crew, Spock, Uhura, Scotty, and Chapel arrive with an assessment of the situation.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
Every generation finds new ways to parent, and every generation frets about it.
—Russell Shaw, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2025
Instead of asking if Kyle is okay, Fraser frets that her husband paid the tip.
—Emma Soren, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for frets
Verb
-
An analysis published by CX Today found that when AI use is hidden, trust erodes quickly, even when outcomes are accurate.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
2 Jan. 2026
-
Understanding that difference can prevent endless money conflicts because frugality builds a meaningful life, while cheapness slowly erodes joy.—
Brian Page,
CNBC,
26 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
No law enforcement professional wears a mask.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Jan. 2026
-
In the video, Kravitz wears a white minidress and black flats, while Styles is dressed down in jeans and a blue jacket.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Which is another thing that worries him.—
Joel Stein,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Stewart worries that the listings risk running afoul of copyright on product photos, or of agreements with her own suppliers — themselves mostly independent brands — that prohibit reselling products on Amazon.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Somehow, this irritates Helen even more.—
Sadia Shepard,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
-
In other words, alcohol disrupts hydration, irritates the gut, inflames blood vessels, messes with sleep, and forces your liver into metabolic overdrive.—
Ciara Lucas,
SELF,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
But no need to call in the food critics this year—the Golden Globes eats seemed to pass the taste test.—
Elise Taylor,
Vanity Fair,
12 Jan. 2026
-
But everybody eats…from the drug dealers down on the corner to the CEOs of companies.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This particular aspect of the show frays the gripping tone that had been so masterfully crafted from its opening scene.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Conjuring the troubled inner life of a young, beautiful and successful Buenos Aires fashion designer with an uncommon mix of stylistic rigor and feeling, the film frays your nerves.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Bright and spellbinding, glittering and dangerous, London Falling scratches every itch while unwinding this morbid mystery.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Gratitude hardly scratches the surface.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
As much as Payton bristles about media storylines and huffs about tempo questions, the Broncos went 25 minutes without a first down against Las Vegas.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
22 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Frets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frets. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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