FRETTED Synonyms: 94 Similar and Opposite Words

fretted

verb

past tense of fret

as in eroded

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 wore

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 worried

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 irritated

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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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 fretted Republicans have fretted that Miller’s scandals could make the district Trump won by 11 points in 2024 vulnerable in what’s expected to be a strong year for Democrats. — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Other European politicians fretted about national infrastructure and defense, with one comparing the loss of Mythos to Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026 Months ago, businesses fretted over adversaries using AI to attack. — Samantha Subin, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2026 Daniel de Visé Stocks opened lower on July 29, ahead of Federal Reserve action on interest rates, as traders fretted about rising oil prices. — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 29 July 2026 That’s a relief to Hollywood, which fretted that the pandemic had hampered Gen Z from developing a taste for going to the movies. — Kelenna Onukwugha, Christian Science Monitor, 21 July 2026 But the recent action on Anthropic, as well as asking OpenAI to limit its own newest model, comes after experts have fretted for months that Mythos could pose a security risk by giving hackers and other bad actors access to AI capable of finding and exploiting vulnerabilities exceptionally quickly. — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 27 June 2026 But where some insiders fretted about the social blowback, Jenkins knew the flap was priceless marketing for the brand. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 24 June 2026 In it, Heuermann complained about jail food and exercise conditions and fretted that guards might be reading his mail. — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fretted

Verb

Hence the switch, a year or so after the film’s release, to a stadium now named after the latest in a long line of sponsors that, for all the vital money brought in, have slightly eroded identity.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
This eroded roughly a quarter of the air-quality progress made in those states over decades under the Clean Air Act.

— Sissi Liu, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of eroded

Verb

But the idea has irritated California’s billionaire class, and some have left the state in protest or threatened to do so.

— Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 29 June 2026
Hasslers, the researchers found, tended to be people who irritated the study respondents but whom the respondents could not escape.

— Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026

Definition of irritated

Verb

Reconstituting the bilateral bond between the two countries, now frayed by more than a year of threats and punitive measures, will not happen overnight.

— Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 14 Aug. 2026
Moore’s frayed, full-volume, Barbie-pink ball gown with a distressed bow was a break from her usual structured looks.

— Beatrice Dupuy, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of frayed

Verb

Erhart bit and scratched him during the struggle, according to the report.

— Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026
After the bullpen had to cover all nine innings Saturday when Griffin Jax was scratched from a scheduled start due to elbow discomfort, Seymour worked six solid innings, allowing a first-inning run and nothing else.

— Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of scratched

Verb

Tragedy, humor and scientific interest rubbed shoulders as Atlanta turned out Thursday night to view the astral spectacle which sent 261 stars streaking across the heavens.

— AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Jimmy rubbed beer foam off his mustache, and Kath thought of the drunken Norwegian boatman who sank Fanny’s ship.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026