Synonyms of fretted

fretted

verb

past tense of fret

1

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• eroded
• ate
• gnawed
• destroyed
• corroded
• bit (at)
• nibbled
• ruined
• decomposed
• wrecked
• disintegrated
• dissolved
• wasted
• devastated
• decimated
• broke up
• broke down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• restored
• renewed
• revived
• refreshed
• freshened
• recreated
• revitalized
• rejuvenated
• regenerated
• refreshened

2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• eroded
• wore
• frayed
• rubbed
• chafed
• galled
• reduced
• rasped
• frazzled
• scraped
• abraded
• erased
• shaved
• ate
• sharpened
• gnawed
• corraded
• filed
• scoured
• chewed
• sandpapered
• grazed
• scuffed
• nibbled
• ground
• sandblasted
• corroded
• grated
• disintegrated
• decomposed
• wiped (away)
• wore out
• bit
• rubbed out
• honed
• dissolved
• whetted
• broke up
• broke down

3

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• worried
• feared
• stressed
• troubled
• stewed
• fussed
• bothered
• agonized
• sweat
• pined
• longed
• sweat blood
• gave a hang
• yearned
• despaired
• chafed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• accepted
• took
• sustained
• endured
• tolerated
• bore
• stuck out
• abided
• stomached

4

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• irritated
• scratched
• scraped
• excoriated
• chafed
• galled
• abraded
• grazed
• burned
• peeled
• skinned
• inflamed
• flayed

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of fretted

After the duke’s death in 1972, the duchess, in increasingly poor health, fretted about what to do with her massive collection. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 7 Oct. 2026

At the time, engineers fretted about the safest way to move so much water to the other side while maintaining the dam’s integrity. — Story Hinckley, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Oct. 2026

Ultimately, the C-suite led with the name that signaled quality to the widest set of possible consumers (even if execs privately fretted about diluting the good name of HBO with a streaming service featuring thousands of shows of varying quality). — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026

Calls for a slowdown in artificial intelligence development sparked a global sell-off in technology stocks on Monday, as investors fretted over the sustainability of spending in a sector that has driven financial markets to record highs. — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026

Traders have lately fretted about the effect of rising oil prices on inflation. — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026

None of its marks seem to maintain their integrity for more than an inch or two without being fretted or spoiled. — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026

Benchmark oil prices also topped $90 a barrel as investors fretted that efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz were making little headway. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 18 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