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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Recent Examples of fretting
Bloomberg, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026
Strategists who support Stevens and McMorrow said that as the state party held its convention this month, the Democratic chatter shifted from an expectation that Stevens or McMorrow would prevail to fretting that El-Sayed could win.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 22 Apr. 2026
The accusations reordered a wide-open gubernatorial race that had Democrats fretting the party’s large number of candidates could lead to them getting shut out of the general election in November.
—Michael R. Blood, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2026
Increasingly, teachers and schools fretting over students using artificial intelligence to complete their assignments are turning to AI detectors to catch would-be cheaters.
—Nathan Agranovsky, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2026
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
Verb
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
Strategists who support Stevens and McMorrow said that as the state party held its convention this month, the Democratic chatter shifted from an expectation that Stevens or McMorrow would prevail to fretting that El-Sayed could win.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 22 Apr. 2026
The accusations reordered a wide-open gubernatorial race that had Democrats fretting the party’s large number of candidates could lead to them getting shut out of the general election in November.
—Michael R. Blood, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2026
Increasingly, teachers and schools fretting over students using artificial intelligence to complete their assignments are turning to AI detectors to catch would-be cheaters.
—Nathan Agranovsky, Washington Post, 13 Apr. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fretting
Adjective
-
The outrageous antics revolving around the experiences of fretful teen prodigy Malcolm were always anchored by his family’s tight bond.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Mammoth bluffs followed by last-minute retreats only deepened perceptions of inconsistency, further eroding deterrence.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
European carmakers lose premium brand status in China European carmakers are losing their premium brand status in China, as younger consumers opt for cars from domestic brands, further eroding Western firms’ prospects in a cutthroat global market.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Eli Heidenreich walked down the long corridor, wearing his Navy service dress blues and the emotion of the moment all over his face.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Probably one of the most ingrained is wearing pastels during the spring and summer months, with trendsetters and designers rallying around one specific shade for the past sever seasons.—
Lucía Tejo,
Glamour,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The organic cotton towel is both GOTS organic and Oeko-Tex-certified to keep me from worrying about harsh chemicals rubbing off on my body.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Today on the show, Kevin Dancy, vice president and regional executive at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, lays out a worrying consumer trend that’s affecting how retailers do business.—
Adrian Ma,
NPR,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Strong gusts of wind disperse the pollen and mold, irritating lungs.—
Devika Rao,
TheWeek,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Joining Stuart’s quest are his girlfriend, Denise (Lapkus); geologist buddy Bert (Posehn); and irritating quantum physicist Barry Kripke (Bowie).—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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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The shots rang out from the back of the ballroom as attendees were eating their first course, several minutes after White House Correspondents’ Association President Weija Jiang delivered remarks.—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
26 Apr. 2026
-
But doubters who scoffed back then may be eating their words now.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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An elite soldier with a fraying mind is sent deep into a wartime nightmare, and the sweaty performances, bold musical choices, and beautiful cinematography take us there.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Use a soft brush — or even a toothbrush for tight crevices — and go gentle to avoid fraying the material.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fretting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fretting. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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