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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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

Considered from one angle, the movie is superficial and conventional, zipping heedlessly between the characters without fretting about point of view, creating scenes that don’t so much illuminate characters as simply push the story along. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2026 Room for Disagreement Left-wing Democrats are still fretting that party leaders won’t give voters concrete, populist policies. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Republican leadership was, once again, fretting over whether frustrations among some hardline conservatives would effectively freeze the legislative agenda. — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 Across the developed world, central bankers are fretting over the same issues. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 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

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

When the water receded, the cliffs were exposed and began eroding, revealing prehistoric remains.

— Katie Riley, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2026
And the risk factors — high spending, low growth, rising debt and elevated borrowing costs — lead some economists to warn that while Russia's economy has not collapsed, its structural foundations are eroding dangerously.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of eroding

Verb

Reinhart’s character, Olive Smith, is primarily seen wearing her lab coat, but outside of the laboratory, she is dressed in red, blue and green outfits.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 26 Sep. 2026
At the show, guests including Meadow Walker, Space Afrika and King Princess were spotted wearing a new collaborative Speedcat in all-black.

— Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of wearing

Verb

Read more here from CNBC's Sean Conlon on what's worrying traders even as the market surges.

— Sean Conlon,Jenni Reid,Justina Lee,Darla Mercado, CFP®, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2026
In her interview with LaFrance, Swisher also discussed the economic implications of the AI race, who is likely to win, and how Americans can respond to this dizzying and worrying AI moment.

— Victoria Feng, The Atlantic, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of worrying

Verb

The Pisces Moon squares Uranus in your daily-life zone, making unclear instructions, appointments, or routine disruptions especially irritating.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026
The textured surface made whisking things like custard or béchamel irritating as the whisk repeatedly snagged on the textured surface.

— Wilder Davies, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of irritating

Verb

Expect wearables and continuous glucose monitors to start nudging users to move within the 15-to-30-minute window after eating, replacing generic daily step prompts.

— Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Sep. 2026
Attendees can touch fossils, explore the park‘s trees and make art, all while listening to music and eating from local food trucks.

— Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026