1
as in to erode
to consume or wear away gradually
over the span of thousands of years, the annual spring runoff fretted the rock, forming a deep channel
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to wear
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to worry
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in panic
a state of nervous or irritated concern
one of my customers always gets into a fret if I'm so much as 15 minutes late delivering his newspaper
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fret
Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 3 July 2025
But when Joshua frets over what people are saying about him online and about showing his face at sponsor events, Sonny finally feels obliged to speak up.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 26 June 2025
But this polarization hasn’t caused Pressley to fret much.
—Liam Adams, The Tennessean, 3 July 2025
But not to fret; the curly girls have a fix for that.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fret
Verb
In the months between Trump’s April 2 tariff rollout and his announcement on Wednesday, retail executives in the apparel and footwear industries fretted over the potential that Vietnam imports could face tariffs nearly as high as the cumulative 55% duties for Chinese imports.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 3 July 2025
But when Joshua frets over what people are saying about him online and about showing his face at sponsor events, Sonny finally feels obliged to speak up.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 26 June 2025
But this polarization hasn’t caused Pressley to fret much.
—Liam Adams, The Tennessean, 3 July 2025
But not to fret; the curly girls have a fix for that.
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for fret
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fret
Verb
-
Now, this fundamental principle is at risk of being eroded.—
Philippa Pham Hughes,
Time,
11 July 2025
-
Deals like these, which require OpenAI to sell stakes in the company, erode the nonprofit’s control of the business.—
Orson Aguilar,
Mercury News,
10 July 2025
Verb
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The deceased woman was also wearing a black necklace with a cross that family said belonged to DiNapoli, according to court documents.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
11 July 2025
-
Another thing worth noting is that a lot of people complain about the rings getting scratched and showing signs of wear pretty quickly.—
Kristine Thomason,
Vogue,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
Republicans worry that Musk will make good on his promise to fund primary challengers against each and every one of them who voted to give Trump a win.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
7 July 2025
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On account of its relative remoteness--sat between Scotland 200 miles to the south and Iceland 400 miles to the north--the Faroe Islands hasn’t had to worry about over-tourism too much.—
Brad Japhe,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Verb
-
Things escalated further as fans began requesting photos and videos, reportedly irritating the R&B star.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
14 July 2025
-
According to Valliere, people and pets should avoid coming in contact with several invasive plants in California, including: Certain grasses, which produce long awns and seeds that can irritate skin, get stuck in pets’ fur, and cause discomfort for both animals and humans.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
According to the report, the lightning strike left beachgoers, swimmers and surfers in a panic, and many ran for their cars in the immediate aftermath.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
13 July 2025
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Steven was there for Conrad in that moment too, finding him on the beach hyperventilating and talking him out of the panic to distract him.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
11 July 2025
Verb
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The successful hatchings come about a year after Scout ate two of his chicks as a first-time dad, leaving the pair with no surviving eaglets from their first nesting season, McClatchy News previously reported.—
Olivia Lloyd,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2025
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The calls came while eating lunch, while lying in bed at night.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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In addition, relations with allies are frayed at worst, strained at least.—
Ken Roberts,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
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Mile after mile of the region’s precious tree canopy was badly frayed or destroyed.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
Cruz has barely scratched the surface of his potential.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 July 2025
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Take, for example, Soiree Miami Beach, a luxurious swimwear brand made with sparkly materials that don’t scratch, or Wanahat, a stylish hat brand founded by three Ecuadorian childhood friends.—
Rana Good,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fret. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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