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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fretted
In his encyclical, Leo fretted about multiple ongoing wars, lamented the decline of multilateral coalitions and blasted arms industry profits as driving the conflicts.
—
Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Multiple Wall Street firms fretted about the company's long-term growth prospects in the face of AI.
—Tobias Burns, CNBC, 28 May 2026
Turner fretted publicly about the world’s problems.
—David Bauder, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
And many, in a district in which more than 86% of students are low-income, fretted about feeding their kids.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
On a recent morning, Alexandre Joseph, 35, fretted about his family’s future in a loud voice, attracting the attention of passersby in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital.
—Evens Sanon, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
On a recent morning, Alexandre Joseph, 35, fretted about his family’s future in a loud voice, attracting the attention of passersby in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital.
—ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
In 1998, the small Jesuit school in Spokane was so deep in a fiscal crisis as enrollment dwindled, some administrators fretted if the school could stay open.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
For the better part of the past year, Wall Street analysts and tech-industry observers have fretted publicly about an AI bubble.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Multiple Wall Street firms fretted about the company's long-term growth prospects in the face of AI.
—Tobias Burns, CNBC, 28 May 2026
Turner fretted publicly about the world’s problems.
—David Bauder, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
And many, in a district in which more than 86% of students are low-income, fretted about feeding their kids.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
On a recent morning, Alexandre Joseph, 35, fretted about his family’s future in a loud voice, attracting the attention of passersby in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital.
—Evens Sanon, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
On a recent morning, Alexandre Joseph, 35, fretted about his family’s future in a loud voice, attracting the attention of passersby in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital.
—ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
In 1998, the small Jesuit school in Spokane was so deep in a fiscal crisis as enrollment dwindled, some administrators fretted if the school could stay open.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
For the better part of the past year, Wall Street analysts and tech-industry observers have fretted publicly about an AI bubble.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fretted
Verb
-
While Google canceled its plan to fully deprecate third-party cookies in Chrome, opting instead for a user-choice model, the signal has already been significantly eroded.—
John Readman,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Corbett says that deputy gangs do not exist in the department, that in the past cliques and subgroups have existed, and that focus on the issue has eroded public trust and deputies’ morale.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Daily News,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
As Rosalind disguised as a boy, Adele wore a bolo tie and a low-slung gun belt with a six-shooter.—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
Fanny wore a belt strapped across her narrow hips, her eyes clear and bright, jewels on her nails, a cigarette often tucked into her belt.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Labor interests, in particular, worried that a private Pinnacol would end up raising rates and leaving high-risk industries, such as construction, unable to afford workers’ comp insurance.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
-
But those lot rents have slowly increased across the state and have priced out some retirees, leaving Good Samaritan residents worried the change in ownership may push them out too.—
Natalia Jaramillo,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
It is expected that Mourinho will try to tighten control over leaks concerning internal dressing-room matters, something that has irritated the club this season — and which Alonso sought to tackle.—
Guillermo Rai,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
Even though the calf irritated him over the weekend, the ankle is still the primary problem.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
On one day in late December, Eden barely ate all day.—
Angela Andaloro,
People.com,
5 Aug. 2025
-
While neither is an effective big league pitcher at this point, those moves ate into the Yankees’ limited rotation depth.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
In recent years, that moral and political alignment has frayed.—
Michael W. Sonnenfeldt,
The Atlantic,
20 May 2026
-
Dalton and Bhaskaran left the edges rough and frayed along the hem and through the cutaway sections, keeping the dress from reading as straight princess fantasy despite the color and scale.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Even though Neto played on Sunday and was in the lineup on Monday afternoon, he was scratched shortly before the game.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
3 June 2026
-
The Royals also caught a break, avoiding young Reds ace Chase Burns, who was scratched due to illness.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
The reef fish was often rubbed with salt and mixed with seaweed and a traditional candlenut relish called inamona.—
Sylvie Bigar,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
And that really rubbed committee members last cycle the wrong way and may have worked against them.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fretted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fretted. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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