as in fretting
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in boiling
to cook in a liquid heated to the point that it gives off steam
stew the chicken till tender, and then remove the meat from the bones
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in worrying
to experience concern or anxiety
stop stewing over that game and just try to do better next time
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stewing
Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 9 June 2026
Something about her kept stewing in my head.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 1 June 2026
The Detroit Red Wings sat on the bench, stewing in stunned silence, after their latest loss sealed their fate as a franchise relegated to watching the NHL playoffs on TV.
—CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
The tomatoes for the shakshouka have been stewing for hours.
—Liam Scott, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2026
But South Carolina’s returners have spent a year stewing on that championship loss, specifically on UConn’s 23-point margin of victory.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026
Hughes spent weeks stewing before calling director Howie Deutsch with the solution.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 31 Mar. 2026
However, Nicky has spent this time stewing over their relationship as well and ultimately refuses to marry Rachel at the altar.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 26 Mar. 2026
After nine episodes spent stewing in suspicion, the CBS legal drama has released the tension from one of its biggest secrets and forced Julian into action.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
This idea’s been stewing in my brain ever since.
—Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 9 June 2026
Something about her kept stewing in my head.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 1 June 2026
The Detroit Red Wings sat on the bench, stewing in stunned silence, after their latest loss sealed their fate as a franchise relegated to watching the NHL playoffs on TV.
—CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
The tomatoes for the shakshouka have been stewing for hours.
—Liam Scott, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2026
But South Carolina’s returners have spent a year stewing on that championship loss, specifically on UConn’s 23-point margin of victory.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 2 Apr. 2026
Hughes spent weeks stewing before calling director Howie Deutsch with the solution.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 31 Mar. 2026
However, Nicky has spent this time stewing over their relationship as well and ultimately refuses to marry Rachel at the altar.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 26 Mar. 2026
After nine episodes spent stewing in suspicion, the CBS legal drama has released the tension from one of its biggest secrets and forced Julian into action.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stewing
Adjective
-
The fretful electronic score is by Flying Lotus, Elliot Leung and Olivia Xiaolin.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
-
Julia Louis-Dreyfus provides the voice of Miss Maple, renamed Lily and far more fretful and fearful than in the book.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Use kosher salt when seasoning, roasting, brining, pickling, baking, or even just boiling water for your favorite pasta recipe.—
Heather Riske,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 June 2026
-
The boiling water creates intense thermal shock that instantly ruptures the plant's cell walls, melting its protective waxy coating and causing the foliage to collapse and dehydrate, effectively cooking the plant tissue.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
But if your concerned friend starts worrying about AI data centers literally causing a worldwide water catastrophe, the actual numbers involved should hopefully put those worries to rest.—
Kyle Orland,
ArsTechnica,
12 June 2026
-
The Hornets can outbid any other team in total dollars, length and yearly bumps without worrying about the cap number.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
How to do that was a very vexed and complicated problem.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
-
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
Verb
-
In other words, the drug may not create the problem from scratch so much as unmask or worsen one that was already simmering.—
Ryan Brennan,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
-
Place chocolate in a bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water.—
Martha Stewart,
Martha Stewart,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Stewing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stewing. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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