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
For months, Wall Street commentators have fretted that the artificial intelligence boom looks like a bubble, with capital spending – which some analysts estimate could reach $3 trillion by 2028 – fattening a few mega-cap firms, while lower-income workers suffer from a slack labor market.
—
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 17 Sep. 2025
Before turning on the water for the field, the foreman of Tibbitts’ farm fretted building a makeshift levee to keep the water from running too deep at the field’s lowest point.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2025
What's particularly telling is that while Cain fretted about the new movie's immigrant themes possibly hurting domestic box office, Superman has actually performed well domestically but struggled internationally.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
After that loss, OpenAI appears to have pivoted and is now doing everything in its power to limit the number of logs accessed in the case—short of settling—as its customers fretted over serious privacy concerns.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 5 Aug. 2025
China's benchmark blue chip index fell 3% in January as investors fretted over the increasingly volatile macro outlook and Beijing's tepid policy response.
—Jiaxing Li, Reuters, 5 Feb. 2025
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 17 Sep. 2025
Before turning on the water for the field, the foreman of Tibbitts’ farm fretted building a makeshift levee to keep the water from running too deep at the field’s lowest point.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2025
What's particularly telling is that while Cain fretted about the new movie's immigrant themes possibly hurting domestic box office, Superman has actually performed well domestically but struggled internationally.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Aug. 2025
After that loss, OpenAI appears to have pivoted and is now doing everything in its power to limit the number of logs accessed in the case—short of settling—as its customers fretted over serious privacy concerns.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 5 Aug. 2025
China's benchmark blue chip index fell 3% in January as investors fretted over the increasingly volatile macro outlook and Beijing's tepid policy response.
—Jiaxing Li, Reuters, 5 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fretted
Verb
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Israeli public support for the war, which was overwhelming at the beginning, has significantly eroded.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
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The job market is particularly tough for recent graduates because hiring in white-collar industries including technology has slowed significantly and advances in artificial intelligence have eroded some of the entry-level jobs that used to be a springboard for them.—
Michael Sasso,
Fortune,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The evidence that Song was the shooter comes from a green mask the assailant wore from which samples that tested positive for Song’s DNA were taken and from interviews with cooperating sources, FBI Special Agent Clark Wiethorn testified at the hearing.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Oct. 2025
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Fazit Beauty — made famous when Swift wore the company's glitter freckles to a Chiefs game — has $15 showgirl looks.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Not knowing that Pink Floyd is a rock band, Sullivan was initially worried he’d been paired with a heavy metal fan.—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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Spears has been sharing dancing videos on her Instagram account that have delighted some fans and worried others for at least five years.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The decision by Aaron Turner, Kuminga’s agent, to go on a media tour in recent weeks while negotiating publicly in hopes of landing a better offer for Kuminga, irritated some with the organization, according to league sources.—
Nick Friedell,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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And the web designer from South Dakota certainly must have irritated her former final two ally Vince Panaro on her way out of the Big Brother house.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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On one day in late December, Eden barely ate all day.—
Angela Andaloro,
People.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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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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The roots frayed with nowhere to go.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Sep. 2025
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His trousers were too long, and the hems were frayed.—
Lisa K. Friedman,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The lucky ticket scratched by Hawkins was for the $100,000 Extreme Cash game, according to lottery officials.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
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With the envelope rule enforced, the match was scratched and the scoreboard adjusted to 12–5.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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All other produce can be gently rubbed while being rinsed.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
24 Sep. 2025
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The female nurse rubbed the glove over her sides, into the folds, on the back of her neck.—
Laura Vazquez,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fretted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fretted. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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