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

Ratings agencies and investors are fretting about leverage as the combined company enters a shifting media landscape with $80 billion in debt after one of the biggest leveraged buyouts in corporate history. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026 Billy Joel doesn’t want anyone fretting too much over his health. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2026 Szabo’s photos, by contrast, are remarkably free of fretting or judgment. — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 26 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

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

Over the same time, shooting of Americans by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers began to dominate headlines, eroding support for one of the president's major policy initiatives.

— Steve Liesman, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
This stuck ice preserves what’s beneath instead of eroding it.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of eroding

Verb

Ready to take on Halloween, Thanksgiving, and a December full of holiday parties without worrying if your wardrobe will still fit in 2027?

— Patricia Neligan, AJC.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Another theory is that with the fall harvest nearly complete, now is a relatively safe time to deport farmworkers in the countryside without immediately worrying about empty shelves in supermarkets, Mejia said.

— Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of worrying

Verb

Some people are eating cottage cheese for its calcium content, saying the food will aid strong bones and teeth.

— Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026
My brother’s wife has ruined each and every get-together by having constant fights with her little boy about eating.

— Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of eating

Verb

The murder of two Israeli soldiers in the West Bank is the jumping-off point for a large-scale invasion of the Palestinian territory, a move that would further test the nation’s fraying relationship with the United States.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 24 Oct. 2026
During the Lin regime, one source told us that relationships with filmmakers were fraying.

— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2026