as in fretful
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fretting
Will Hermes, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2026
Perhaps one, or all, of her kids, fretting over their independent-minded mother, had advised her to get it.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
This is too early to spend much time fretting over Bichette.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
In Illinois, there is no fretting over electability.
—Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
But some drivers, passengers and ride-hailing companies are already fretting the prospect of pricier rides.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Older white-collar workers are fretting about their long-term job security in the face of ever-capable generative AI tools and recent layoffs from corporations such as Amazon and Block that have cited AI.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
But Knight’s script spends a lot of time self-consciously, apologetically fretting about those who are missing.
—Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026
Rather than fretting over trends, make intentional alterations to the floor plan that feel special rather than builder-grade, McSwain says.
—Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
Distracted ends with Bruner fretting over money and pondering options.
—Will Hermes, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2026
Perhaps one, or all, of her kids, fretting over their independent-minded mother, had advised her to get it.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
This is too early to spend much time fretting over Bichette.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
In Illinois, there is no fretting over electability.
—Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
But some drivers, passengers and ride-hailing companies are already fretting the prospect of pricier rides.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Older white-collar workers are fretting about their long-term job security in the face of ever-capable generative AI tools and recent layoffs from corporations such as Amazon and Block that have cited AI.
—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2026
But Knight’s script spends a lot of time self-consciously, apologetically fretting about those who are missing.
—Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026
Rather than fretting over trends, make intentional alterations to the floor plan that feel special rather than builder-grade, McSwain says.
—Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fretting
Adjective
-
There’s a fine, touching performance, however, from Showko Showfukutei as Hana’s loving but fretful mother, desperately concerned for her daughter’s well-being but inclined to show love only through unrequired domestic service.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
28 Jan. 2026
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The quintessential late-’80s teen, Ryder here plays a fretful mom.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
27 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Equal citizenship is the foundation of democracy, and the framers sought to prevent politicans from eroding that foundation.—
David Cole,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
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And even those who do own their own home aren’t immune—taxes, energy bills, and grocery prices have all surged, quietly eroding the financial cushion many assumed would last decades.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Curry, wearing a bulky wrap around his knee, leaned back and took a long, deep breath before exhaling as the game tipped off.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Her heart features the side profiles of two residents wearing Indigenous attire in the foreground, and a map of the city’s East Side, with street names like Indiana Avenue, Holmes Street and Troost Avenue behind them.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That's where Somali businesses struggled due to customers worrying that ICE might arrest them while shopping.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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Colleagues had been worrying about Metayer Bowen all day long.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That said, while the price point is hard to beat, BHAs are higher in molecular weight, which can be irritating for those with especially sensitive skin.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
29 Mar. 2026
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The choice to portray her as irritating, self-absorbed, whiny and inappropriate was no accident.—
Leigh Blickley,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Now he’s got an Olivier for it — and so do John Lithgow, swaying ominously in the breeze as the vexed figure of the title, and Eliot Levey, playing Dahl’s British publisher, Tom Maschler.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
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Freezing the landscape in time is what the people of Vermont, and not merely tourists, want, but it’s also left residents with a vexed regard for visitors.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Someone with an egg allergy eating the rolls could suffer anything from discomfort to death, depending on the severity of the allergy.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
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One of them was mechanically eating a packet of pretzels.—
Catherine Lacey,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But gaps the size of ours are breeding frustration and distrust, fraying the social fabric and creating the conditions for instability and upheaval.—
Russell Hancock,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
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These sateen sheets only get softer after each wash, according to shopping director Rachel Fletcher, who has had the high-quality bedding for years and has never spotted fraying or pilling.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fretting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fretting. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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