as in irritable
tending towards or characterized by agitation or irritability
They finally lulled the fretful baby to sleep. I kept having fretful thoughts about what would happen if we couldn't pay our bills.
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Recent Examples of fretful
At the very least, Washington sought to assure the fretful Parsons that all was not yet lost.
—
Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Feb. 2025
Too many young people are anxious, fretful and socially isolated.
—Sarah Lent, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
At the very least, Washington sought to assure the fretful Parsons that all was not yet lost.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Feb. 2025
Now, for many in the business world, that question feels almost passé, part of an earlier, more fretful era of narratives.
—Talmon Joseph Smith, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fretful
Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Feb. 2025
Too many young people are anxious, fretful and socially isolated.
—Sarah Lent, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
At the very least, Washington sought to assure the fretful Parsons that all was not yet lost.
—Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Feb. 2025
Now, for many in the business world, that question feels almost passé, part of an earlier, more fretful era of narratives.
—Talmon Joseph Smith, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fretful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fretful
Adjective
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Determined to make a clean SPF, Brown says a chemical formula was out of the question (chemical sunscreens are often thought to be unsafe for the coral reef and irritable to sensitive skin types).—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
9 July 2025
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In my own experience, poor sleep has frequently been the reason behind feeling tired and irritable.—
Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt,
CNN Money,
8 July 2025
Adjective
-
My expectation is that the veteran who has been in the Octagon against some of the heaviest hitters in the UFC’s heavyweight division is going to be anxious to test the young man who only has 35 seconds of UFC fight time to his name.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
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The choice of name was coincidental but Lee and Kirby were anxious to avoid any connection to radical politics.—
Ekow Eshun
July 11,
Literary Hub,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Son of Liam’s Map was a troubled sixth in the Kentucky Derby and a closing second in the Matt Winn Stakes in his last start.—
Danny Brewer,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
-
Bell is among at least 34 boys who stayed at Dozier and another 16 sent to Okeechobee — a separate boys’ school with a troubled history — who ended up on Florida’s death row, according to a review by The Marshall Project.—
The Marshall Project,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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Scenes are set in grimy derelict spaces or feature the ominous sound of agitated bat wings.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2025
-
The Defense secretary became agitated during the briefing, which was intended to clarify the intelligence the Pentagon had on the three nuclear facilities before and after the weekend operation.—
Dan Gooding
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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Critics of Greene's bill are worried that the legislation could disproportionately benefit higher-income individuals, who naturally stand to make more profits from a home sale.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
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One of the biggest shifts since the time of Rose is that far fewer Americans are worried about this potential problem.—
Harry Enten,
CNN Money,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
The odds of a recession may be falling, but states appear to be betting that corporate leaders are still nervous.—
Scott Cohn,
CNBC,
12 July 2025
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Then there's the real world, which is entirely different, so in reality people have nothing to be nervous about.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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But Georgi seems apprehensive about their upcoming visit.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
6 July 2025
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Before the 1991 trip, none of the Abilene Boys had appeared apprehensive.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Adjective
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Thousands of people — displaced by disaster, their past lives gone up in smoke — are hostage to the whims of a peevish president who always puts his feelings first and cares nothing for the greater good.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Los Angeles Times,
22 June 2025
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On a less peevish note: The entry is making its New York Times Crossword debut.—
Sam Corbin,
New York Times,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fretful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fretful. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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