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Synonyms

fretted

American  
[fret-id] / ˈfrɛt ɪd /

adjective

  1. ornamented or provided with frets: fret.

    a fretted molding.
fretted British  
/ ˈfrɛtɪd /

adjective

  1. ornamented with angular designs or frets

  2. decorated with fretwork

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • unfretted adjective

Etymology

Origin of fretted

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; fret 2, -ed 2

Vocabulary lists containing fretted

"The Tragedy of Hamlet," Vocabulary from Act 2

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Investors fretted the rise of AI agents would dampen demand for offerings from legacy software providers.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

She said district communication had been sparse so far — “no call, no text, no email” — and fretted about missing work at Sweetgreen, the fast-casual chain restaurant where she makes salads.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Scotts’ stock had suffered a month-to-date drop of 14.9% as of March 12 as investors fretted over rising commodities costs.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

Filmmakers and critics fretted, reasonably, that a Netflix acquisition would kill off the moviegoing experience for good, in light of Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos’ professed antipathy toward theater-exclusive releases.

From Slate • Feb. 27, 2026

Half of the Sherpa had taken it to a tent for closer inspection, while the others fretted over the disaster they were certain that any examination of it would bring.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.