fret
Third Person
frets
Present Participle
fretting
Past Tense
fretted
Past Participle
fretted
1
to be anxious about something minor or uncertain
- She fretted about whether she had left the stove on before leaving the house.
- He fretted about the small mistake he made at work, fearing it would cost him his job.
- Don't fret over being a few minutes late; they won't mind.
- He fretted over what to wear to the party, worrying that he wouldn't fit in.
2
to create a path or opening by gradually wearing down or eroding a surface
transitive
- The constant traffic had fretted the road, creating visible grooves.
- The river fretted the stone, carving a deep path through the valley.
- The constant pressure of the wind fretted the cliffs, causing small cracks.
3
to gradually erode or damage something through constant rubbing or biting
transitive
- The constant movement of the rope began to fret the edges of the fabric.
- Over time, the wind and rain fretted the stone monument.
- The harsh sandpaper slowly fretted the surface of the table.
- The ocean waves fretted the shoreline, slowly wearing away the cliff.
- The rough fabric of the seatbelt fretted the upholstery over time.
Synonyms:
4
to be so tight that it rubs or presses uncomfortably
transitive
- The shoes were too small and fretted her feet after only a few minutes.
- The waistband of the jeans fretted his stomach, making it difficult to move.
- The collar of the shirt fretted his neck, causing irritation.
- The watch strap fretted his wrist, leaving a red mark.
- The gloves fretted his hands because they were too small.
5
to decorate or adorn something, usually wood or metal, with intricate patterns or designs
transitive
- The craftsman fretted the wooden frame with delicate patterns.
- The artist fretted the edges of the table with intricate carvings.
- The door was fretted with ornate patterns, adding elegance to the room.
- They decided to fret the wooden panels with geometric shapes.
- The cabinet doors were fretted to enhance the antique look.
6
to create a design or pattern on a surface, often through repeated rubbing, cutting, or marking
transitive
- The wind fretted the sand, leaving rippling patterns across the desert.
- The waves fretted the shoreline, leaving a series of natural patterns in the sand.
- The wind fretted the snow, creating beautiful designs.
7
to make someone feel anxious, upset, or troubled
transitive
- The constant delays at the airport fretted the passengers.
- His rude comments seemed to fret her for the rest of the evening.
- She didn’t want to fret her parents by telling them the bad news.
- The thought of the long meeting ahead began to fret him.
- His health problems fretted his family, who were constantly worried.
8
to gradually cause irritation or distress by constant pressure or persistence
- The ticking clock fretted at his nerves as the deadline approached.
- His worried thoughts fretted at his mind, making it hard to relax.
- The repeated questions from his boss fretted at his patience.
- The harsh words from his colleague fretted at his self-esteem.
- The unresolved issue fretted at his mind, preventing him from focusing on anything else.
9
to become irritated or sore due to constant rubbing or friction
- Her feet began to fret after walking for hours in new shoes.
- His hands fretted from gripping the rough rope for so long.
- The tight straps on her backpack made her shoulders fret.
- The rough shoes caused his heels to fret, leaving blisters.
- Her wrists began to fret from the tight cuffs on her jacket.
10
to add frets to a stringed instrument, such as a guitar or violin, to help produce different notes
transitive
- The luthier carefully fretted the guitar, ensuring the notes were perfect.
- He decided to fret the violin himself to improve its sound.
- The craftsman fretted the new guitar to make it easier to play.
- After the repairs, the guitar was fretted with new, smooth metal strips.
- He watched a tutorial on how to fret a stringed instrument correctly.