Synonyms of fretting

fretting 1 of 2

adjective

as in fretful

Related Words

• fretful
• vexed
• apprehensive
• stewing
• hesitant
• bothered
• foreboding
• distraught
• aggrieved
• misgiving
• worried
• disquieted
• distressed
• disturbed
• freaked
• upset
• shook-up
• perturbed
• flustered
• concerned
• preoccupied
• troubled
• unstrung
• anxious
• uptight
• unnerved
• nervous
• undone
• jittery
• freaked-out
• insecure
• ill at ease
• qualmish
• restless
• obsessed
• goosey
• unquiet
• jumpy
• qualmy
• fidgety
• antsy
• queasy
• tense
• dithery
• atwitter
• uneasy
• high-strung
• twittered
• nervy
• fluttery
• aflutter
• hinky
• flighty
• edgy
• skittish
• het up
• spooky
• hung up
• hypertense

Dissimilar Words

• collected
• calm
• easy
• relaxed
• sure
• cool
• nerveless
• confident
• happy-go-lucky
• controlled
• self-assured
• self-confident
• self-controlled

fretting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of fret

1

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• eroding
• eating
• nibbling
• gnawing
• corroding
• biting (at)
• destroying
• decomposing
• wasting
• ruining
• disintegrating
• wrecking
• dissolving
• devastating
• decimating
• breaking down
• breaking up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• restoring
• reviving
• renewing
• regenerating
• recreating
• rejuvenating
• revitalizing
• freshening
• refreshing
• refreshening

2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• wearing
• eroding
• fraying
• rubbing
• chafing
• reducing
• galling
• abrading
• eating
• shaving
• biting
• scraping
• erasing
• filing
• sharpening
• gnawing
• rasping
• scouring
• corrading
• frazzling
• chewing
• nibbling
• scuffing
• grazing
• sandpapering
• corroding
• grinding
• grating
• decomposing
• sandblasting
• disintegrating
• wiping (away)
• wearing out
• honing
• dissolving
• whetting
• rubbing out
• breaking down
• breaking up

3

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• worrying
• fearing
• stressing
• sweating
• stewing
• bothering
• troubling
• fussing
• pining
• yearning
• agonizing
• longing
• giving a hang
• sweating blood
• chafing
• despairing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• accepting
• taking
• sustaining
• bearing
• enduring
• tolerating
• abiding
• sticking out
• stomaching

4

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• irritating
• scratching
• scraping
• chafing
• excoriating
• galling
• abrading
• grazing
• peeling
• burning
• skinning
• inflaming
• flaying

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of fretting

Verb

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

On the other side of the office, Islas, Alejo’s boss, is fretting about how to keep Alejo’s team employed. — Megan Greenwell, Bloomberg, 9 June 2026

Scenes of furious sketching, intricate designs of delicate cutouts and swirling shapes and fabrics, pinning, sewing and the bustle of runway shows alternate with fretting about how to pay the rent. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 7 June 2026

Traders are all-in on AI, but Americans are fretting over its impact on jobs. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 24 May 2026

After games, many Thunder players reside by their lockers cracking jokes and catching up instead of fretting over roles and playing time. — Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026

The tension drew the attention of Abbott’s office, which was supportive of Tips at periods but also fretting that the regulations were not coming together and state lawmakers were growing impatient, Bingaman said. — Dug Begley, Houston Chronicle, 4 May 2026

Meta employees have spent much of the year fretting about job cuts, which already hit the Reality Labs division and other teams. — Bloomberg, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026