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
The state’s changes to the rates chafed some local districts’ officials, including fire districts that fretted about affording equipment and firefighters as risks from wildfires loomed large year-round.
—
Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 6 Jan. 2026
Recent college grads in particular felt the pinch, and economic policymakers fretted about slowing labor growth.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2025
Stock-watchers cheered a market boom, and fretted about a bubble.
—Mark Niquette, Arkansas Online, 15 Dec. 2025
Stock-watchers cheered a market boom, and fretted about a bubble.
—Mark Niquette, Fortune, 12 Dec. 2025
Rather than sparking a larger war, as some analysts fretted, Soleimani’s assassination permanently set back Iran’s proxies.
—Ray Takeyh, Foreign Affairs, 4 Dec. 2025
Generations of workers have fretted about the future of Social Security, the retirement trust fund.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Even environmentalists like Al Gore who once fretted about catastrophic accidents and radioactive waste are warming to the technology.
—Brad Plumer, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2025
Physicians and engineers alike fretted about the high stakes if a system malfunctioned.
—Carrie Arnold, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 6 Jan. 2026
Recent college grads in particular felt the pinch, and economic policymakers fretted about slowing labor growth.
—Alex Harring, CNBC, 31 Dec. 2025
Stock-watchers cheered a market boom, and fretted about a bubble.
—Mark Niquette, Arkansas Online, 15 Dec. 2025
Stock-watchers cheered a market boom, and fretted about a bubble.
—Mark Niquette, Fortune, 12 Dec. 2025
Rather than sparking a larger war, as some analysts fretted, Soleimani’s assassination permanently set back Iran’s proxies.
—Ray Takeyh, Foreign Affairs, 4 Dec. 2025
Generations of workers have fretted about the future of Social Security, the retirement trust fund.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Even environmentalists like Al Gore who once fretted about catastrophic accidents and radioactive waste are warming to the technology.
—Brad Plumer, New York Times, 22 Oct. 2025
Physicians and engineers alike fretted about the high stakes if a system malfunctioned.
—Carrie Arnold, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fretted
Verb
-
Some Minnesotans reacted with doubt and concern to Homan’s announcement Thursday, as many residents’ trust in law enforcement has been eroded by the killings of two residents, weeks of clashes and a troubled history of high-profile tragedies.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The reaction has eroded support for ICE, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, with Democrats threatening a government shutdown over funding the agency.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
On Christmas Day in 2025, the little princess wore her long blonde hair partially pulled back in a half-ponytail tied with ribbon for the royal family's church outing at Sandringham.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The listening second graders, most of whom wore uniforms (light-blue polo shirts, dark-blue pants and skirts) were sitting on a rug decorated with eighth notes, piano keys, and a second-grader-size treble clef.—
Adam Iscoe,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And critics have worried that the rural health care funding could be in jeopardy for states with policies that don’t align with the president’s.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
-
The plan sparked an outcry from hospital physicians and nurses who worried that lower staffing levels, under an unfamiliar group, would put patients in harm's way.—
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
jsonline.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For a long time your political cartoons published in the editorial pages have irritated me.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The song, which reclaims a derogatory term for Venezuelan female migrants, was interpreted as defiant and irritated the Venezuelan president, then facing widespread reports of electoral fraud.—
Leonor C. Suárez,
Rolling Stone,
4 Jan. 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
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Its light wash and frayed raw hem look reminds me of the pair the lifestyle guru wore, and the ankle-skimming length is great for showing off a cute pair of sneakers, booties, or slip-on sandals.—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
18 Jan. 2026
-
In the fallout, the close relationship between Perez and Albritton frayed.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Joining him on the bench in street clothes will be Draymond Green, who was scratched with a back injury that Kerr said the Warriors were approaching similarly to Curry’s knee.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
White Abarrio — the 2025 Pegasus winner who was scratched on-track at the Breeders’ Cup last year and hadn’t run since — was one of the favorites for this race, and few thought the 7-year-old Skippylongstocking would have enough to get to the line first.—
Tim Reynolds,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Police reported that Zagorac touched the student’s rear, put his hand under his shirt and rubbed his back and fondled him outside his clothing after calling him up to the teacher’s desk to talk about an assignment.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
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Cole, a Belgian gelding who’s about 12 years old, calmly stood tied to a rope in the barn on the Kuehls’ property as visitors walked up to him and rubbed above his nose.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fretted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fretted. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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