FRETTING Synonyms: 162 Similar and Opposite Words

fretting 1 of 2

adjective

as in fretful

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fretting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of fret

as in eroding

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in wearing

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 worrying

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 irritating

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 fretting

Verb

Harvard University’s policy capping A grades among undergraduates doesn’t officially start for another year, but students heading back to school this fall are already fretting over the changes. — Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2026 One day after hitting two homers, Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Nolan Arenado was fretting about a pain he's never felt. — ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026 The machine works using a series of gears, magnetic actuators, and arms in a mechanical structure split into the equivalent of a musician's fretting hand and picking hand. — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 9 Aug. 2026 National Democrats are fretting that John Fetterman will switch parties. — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 31 July 2026 While he was surprised by his fellow Klutch Sports Group client’s decision, Moody preached patience to Warriors fans fretting about their own team’s inactivity this offseason. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 30 July 2026 To walk around fretting about the potential of a car accident doesn’t do anyone any good; there are numerous variables involved that are well beyond your control. — William Jones, Ascend Agency, 17 July 2026 Aboard the Crystal Symphony not so long ago, our butler was fretting about matzo balls. — Fran Golden, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026 While Rhaenyra is busy fretting about how to most humanely punish this random son of Westeros, Lord Hightower and his army march on Tumbleton and take the city hostage. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 6 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for fretting

Adjective

The game, like most finals, was a fretful affair, played under a brain-altering gaze.

— Sam Knight, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
The fretful electronic score is by Flying Lotus, Elliot Leung and Olivia Xiaolin.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026

Definition of fretful

Verb

By eroding the feedback loop that every stable government—even the most authoritarian—needs to stay in power, the Putin regime is becoming less capable of understanding the real condition of Russia.

— Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026
This ambiguity from different agencies creates an information vacuum, fostering misinformation and eroding public trust.

— Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of eroding

Verb

Wear it with leggings for a travel outfit that feels a little more elevated than wearing a sweatsuit.

— Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 30 Aug. 2026
Shoes left at the door, donning slippers to be worn except on tatami mats, wearing yukatas to the onsen and to dinner that night.

— Everett Potter, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of wearing

Verb

This was several shades darker, worrying about economic upheaval, social unrest, cyberattacks, bioterrorism—and most important, the failure of experts and governments to take these threats seriously enough.

— Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026
Celeste begins worrying about her mother-in-law after her credit cards are declined and her outfits are increasingly out of place, but things begin to click when Mary-Louise gives Max, Josh and Ziggy expensive cars.

— Matt Minton, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026