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fretful

[ fret-fuhl ]
/ ˈfrɛt fəl /
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adjective

disposed or quick to fret; irritable or peevish.

RELATED WORDS

captious, carping, complaining, contrary, crabby, cranky, critical, cross, crotchety, edgy, faultfinding, fractious, huffy, mean, ornery, peevish, perverse, petulant, querulous, short-tempered

Nearby words

  1. fresno,
  2. fress,
  3. fret,
  4. fret saw,
  5. fretboard,
  6. fretfully,
  7. fretsome,
  8. fretted,
  9. fretting,
  10. fretty
Also fret·some [fret-suhm] /ˈfrɛt səm/.

Origin of fretful

First recorded in 1585–95; fret1 + -ful
Related formsfret·ful·ly, adverbfret·ful·ness, nounun·fret·ful, adjectiveun·fret·ful·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for fretful

British Dictionary definitions for fretful

fretful

/ (ˈfrɛtfʊl) /

adjective

peevish, irritable, or upset
Derived Formsfretfully, adverbfretfulness, noun
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
Word Origin and History for fretful

fretful

adj.

1590s, from fret (v.) + -ful. Related: Fretfully.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper