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
Kevin Oakes, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2025
Songwriters expressing pangs of grief for what once was held court with others fretting about undesirable futures and still others dreaming up cooler tomorrows.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
The economy is more fragile than seven years ago, with many Americans fretting about inflation and job prospects.
—Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 5 Nov. 2025
Meta and others are engaged in an accelerating AI arms race that has some economists and investors fretting about a possible bubble and seeking reassurance that revenue growth can sustain the massive spending required.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
This doesn’t sound like a strategy session by a party fretting about the state of play.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Despite all the fretting about the Eagles on the shouty national shows, this team will probably cook in November and December.
—Andy Behrens, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Portraying the ghost of Hamlet’s father at the play’s debut, his face and body covered in chalky white paint, his Shakespeare steps through the looking glass and becomes his own tragic player, strutting and fretting his hour upon the stage.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025
Down the road elsewhere in Newark, Mitch Gambert, CEO and owner of Gambert Shirtmakers, is fretting over the future of his business due to the upheaval caused by the administration’s ever-evolving trade policy.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
But workers should adjust their expectations and recognize that some companies aren’t fretting about whether or not their employees can adapt to AI.
—Kevin Oakes, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2025
Songwriters expressing pangs of grief for what once was held court with others fretting about undesirable futures and still others dreaming up cooler tomorrows.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
The economy is more fragile than seven years ago, with many Americans fretting about inflation and job prospects.
—Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 5 Nov. 2025
Meta and others are engaged in an accelerating AI arms race that has some economists and investors fretting about a possible bubble and seeking reassurance that revenue growth can sustain the massive spending required.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
This doesn’t sound like a strategy session by a party fretting about the state of play.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Despite all the fretting about the Eagles on the shouty national shows, this team will probably cook in November and December.
—Andy Behrens, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Portraying the ghost of Hamlet’s father at the play’s debut, his face and body covered in chalky white paint, his Shakespeare steps through the looking glass and becomes his own tragic player, strutting and fretting his hour upon the stage.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025
Down the road elsewhere in Newark, Mitch Gambert, CEO and owner of Gambert Shirtmakers, is fretting over the future of his business due to the upheaval caused by the administration’s ever-evolving trade policy.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fretting
Adjective
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The quintessential late-’80s teen, Ryder here plays a fretful mom.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
27 Nov. 2025
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But that doesn’t mean viewers won’t be increasingly exasperated by the ways the screenplay forces Knightley’s character into a clumsy, fretful investigation.—
The New York Times,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Most recently, in 2022, the county had completed a more than $18 million project for beach nourishment, which is the process of adding sand to an eroding beach to widen it.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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Meanwhile, a recent constitutional reform that gave Mexico’s ruling party control over all three branches of government has fed fears of rising state control over the economy, eroding confidence.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Some people even shared old photos of Indigenous peoples wearing the hoods, noting that the originators of the design kept the fur outward to break cold wind and trap snow.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
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Chavez posted a photo of Gregory Bovino walking down 33rd Street and Portland Avenue, flanked by three agents wearing masks.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In Tokyo, travelers can explore the bustling neighborhoods of Shibuya, Harajuku, and Shinjuku, admire cutting-edge architecture, stroll through peaceful Japanese gardens, and experience vibrant nightlife without worrying about personal safety.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Jan. 2026
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Devices stay online without worrying about draining the car’s starter battery.—
Ascend Agency,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The play-calling of Payton remains irritating and confusing.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
7 Nov. 2025
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Plus, if wind picks up, the leaves can wind up all over the neighborhood, irritating your neighbors.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Brooding in the historical background are the plantations, the vexed issue of where the money comes from that underwrites all this charm, these impeccable manners, this unsteady gaiety.—
Victor J. Blue,
Harpers Magazine,
23 Nov. 2025
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Who would not raise a glass to the memory of so vexed a merrymaker, under whose spell the city is transformed into an exotic pastoral?—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While about 10% of adults worldwide report bloating, fatigue or gut pain after eating foods containing gluten, only 16% to 30% of those cases show true gluten-specific reactions, the paper found.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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While that helps some of us love and others loathe tastes like super-dark chocolate or black coffee, the evolutionary purpose of these receptors is to keep us from eating things that could harm or kill us.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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However, India’s bilateral strategy is fraying.—
Pintu Kumar Mahla,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
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Ride Cadence Snowboard Boot But last season, due to general wear and tear, the metal cable of my laces started fraying.—
Lisa Jhung,
Outside,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fretting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fretting. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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