fret 1 of 2

verb

ˈfret How to pronounce fret (audio)
Definition of fretnext
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

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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

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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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4
as in to irritate
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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fret

2 of 2

noun

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fret
Verb
Ultimately, the C-suite led with the name that signaled quality to the widest set of possible consumers (even if execs privately fretted about diluting the good name of HBO with a streaming service featuring thousands of shows of varying quality). — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026 Szabo’s photos, by contrast, are remarkably free of fretting or judgment. — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026 Calls for a slowdown in artificial intelligence development sparked a global sell-off in technology stocks on Monday, as investors fretted over the sustainability of spending in a sector that has driven financial markets to record highs. — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026 Traders have lately fretted about the effect of rising oil prices on inflation. — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fret
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fret
  1. erode
  2. wear
  3. worry
  4. irritate
  5. panic
  6. eat
  7. fray
  8. scratch
Verb
  • There’s a real challenge that AI agents will start to go against compliance and erode customer trust—especially in regulated industries like those that ServiceNow sits in.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Prices have been rising faster than paychecks in recent months, so workers' real buying power is being eroded.
    — Scott Horsley, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of erode
Verb
  • All officers on the scenes of vehicle stops must wear and activate their body cameras, under the guidance.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Oct. 2026
  • To balance its titular genres—to portray Bogart as playing Spider-Man—the show needed an actor who would neither wear the role like a suit nor find it within himself.
    — Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of wear
Verb
  • Nothing to worry about, though, as the hotel is located in a neighborhood packed with restaurants and bars of all sorts.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Following these reports, concerns are circulating about what exactly caused the death and quarantine — and just how worried the rest of the world should be.
    — Renée Onque, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of worry
Verb
  • The first step to brighter-looking underarms is figuring out what might be irritating them in the first place.
    — Glamour, Glamour, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Another person may approach the goal differently, which could be useful rather than irritating.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of irritate
Noun
  • The aircraft plunged thousands of feet in two minutes, causing panic and forcing the flight to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
    — Mitchell McCluskey, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
  • After roughly two days of investigation, police informed the public the entire panic was driven by a hoax.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of panic
Verb
  • Even though the vast majority of prescriptions are written for generic drugs, drug spending is surging faster than any other category — and drugs have been eating more of the employer’s premium for multiple years now.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • That can include wild animals that seem unusually tame, nocturnal animals that are out in the day, and pets that have trouble walking, eating or a significant change in personality.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of eat
Verb
  • By the late 1960s, confidence in technological progress was fraying.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • At a time when the social safety net is fraying and affordability is a midterm-election mantra, churches are stepping into the void.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of fray
Verb
  • Perhaps that’s just a tactic of a contender behind in the polls and scratching away to be the first Republican to lead California since Arnold Schwarzenegger.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The fight was so violent that each one of them punched, scratched, bit and slapped the other, Linhardt said.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of scratch

Browse Nearby Words

freshwater
fret
fret (about or over)
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Cite this Entry

“Fret.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fret. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fret

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fret

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