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 The company’s shares are down double digits over the past year, as investors have fretted over AI’s impact on software, Microsoft’s reliance on OpenAI for most of its AI cloud computing business, and its heavy data center spending. — Sebastian Herrera, Fortune, 6 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 Ever since the proposal was first brought forward, local officials have fretted over its potential impacts on operations and services — albeit with an incomplete picture of its impacts. — Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 June 2026 For months, Democrats publicly fretted that the fractured field of candidates could lead to a Republican-on-Republican runoff, locking the party out of the governor’s mansion for the first time in two decades. — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 1 June 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fretted

Verb

This smoke has eroded decades of air quality improvements in parts of the US, particularly in the West.

— Brandon Miller, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Within a few months of Shapiro’s arrival, the behavior eroded any trust that employee had in the surgeon and raised a unique concern for the first time in that employee’s career.

— Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 16 July 2026

Definition of eroded

Verb

The Marty Supreme actor wore a sporty tracksuit with the team emblem and blue, white, and red panelling, plus a pair of oval sunglasses and silver sneakers.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 15 July 2026
Scott Mellin, was credited with transforming Salomon from a niche French outdoor performance label to the billion-dollar streetwear brand Rihanna wore for the 2023 Super Bowl halftime stage.

— Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 15 July 2026

Definition of wore

Verb

Earlier this year, investors worried artificial intelligence would disrupt the industry.

— Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 16 July 2026
But fighting that erupted in the Middle East days later upended that trajectory, pushing bond yields and mortgage rates higher as investors worried the conflict would keep oil prices and inflation elevated.

— Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 16 July 2026

Definition of worried

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

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdowns that fractured communities and frayed the social fabric of society, there are more lonely people than ever.

— Juliet Linderman, Fortune, 16 July 2026
The mix-up may have contributed to souring the communication between the legal teams of the companies, whose relationship appears to be increasingly frayed.

— NBC news, NBC news, 15 July 2026

Definition of frayed

Verb

If you have been bitten or scratched by any stray animals or an animal suspected to have rabies, seek medial care immediately and let your provider know about the possible exposure.

— Dan Raby, CBS News, 13 July 2026
That means obvious things, like medication, feeding, and potty breaks, but also details like favorite toys, spots to be scratched, and other small rituals your pet looks forward to every day.

— Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026

Definition of scratched

Verb

Prosecutors had alleged Smith rubbed the Orland Park child’s back under his shirt, causing scratches, during their 14 tutoring sessions from December 2025 to January.

— Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2026
Pancho, a heavy-bodied Airedale, whimpered and rubbed against my leg with the expectation of excitement to come.

— Frank C. Hibben, Outdoor Life, 15 July 2026