fretted
Americanadjective
adjective
-
ornamented with angular designs or frets
-
decorated with fretwork
Other Word Forms
- unfretted adjective
Etymology
Origin of fretted
late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at fret 2, -ed 2
Vocabulary lists containing fretted
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.
And many, in a district in which more than 86% of students are low-income, fretted about feeding their kids.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
Credo’s stock has fallen out of favor this year, losing 17% as investors have fretted about the optical threat.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026
Chinese toymaker Pop Mart's shares tumbled more than 20 percent on Wednesday, despite strong annual earnings, as investors fretted over a perceived over-dependence on its wildly popular Labubu dolls.
From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026
Energy stocks were broadly lower in India as investors fretted about profit margins squeezes for marketers and refiners, and the potential threat of inflation shocks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026
“If I am ever to lose my position, he could send them off to boarding school, or to an orphanage, or anywhere he pleased, really,” she fretted as the children eagerly presented themselves for inspection.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
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.
