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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of frets
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 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
But the same dry, wry, demented wit, as well as the pitiless looks at one of the rare species on Earth that walks on two legs and frets about their lattes being too hot, are present and accounted for.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 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
-
For any administration to treat them that way erodes our national security and flies in the face of Congress’ constitutional obligation to oversee matters of war and peace.—
Luis Martinez,
ABC News,
29 Oct. 2025
-
When the only people receiving relief are celebrities, political insiders or headline-makers, public confidence erodes.—
Khalil Cumberbatch,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Grace Van Patten wears a flowy dress to celebrate the E1 Miami GP in Miami, with Bombay Sapphire.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
-
As the day wears on, the crowd swells to a formidable throng.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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For example, Mark Jaffe, who leads the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, worries Mamdani’s proposals for city-run grocery stores would cut into business at bodegas.—
Ramishah Maruf,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
-
McKellar worries that kids who are afraid of math tend to grow into adults who avoid numbers.—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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But Chelsea won’t have it, shutting the whole thing down in a way that clearly irritates her.—
Anne Victoria Clark,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The group exhausts and irritates opposing pitchers.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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So does a scene in which a nonverbal, neurodivergent member of the community named Ghazal (Bartley Booz) eats a piece of paper that’s probably Peter’s suicide note.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The revolution eats its own, yet again.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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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
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There are certainly some top-notch barbecue restaurants that made the cut, but the Michelin selection barely scratches the surface of the South’s long, proud barbecue tradition.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
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The affidavit said that the victim suffered minor injuries, including a bruise on her left eye and scratches on the right side of her neck.—
Rachel DeSantis,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Humidity often corrodes cables and steams camera lenses.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
3 Nov. 2025
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But political violence committed by private individuals or groups also corrodes constitutional democracy.—
Gregory P. Magarian,
The Conversation,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Frets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/frets. Accessed 19 Nov. 2025.
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