Antonyms for fret
| Grammar : Verb |
| Spell : fret |
| Phonetic Transcription : frɛt |
Definition of fret
Origin :- "be peevish or worried," early 12c., from Old English fretan "eat, devour" (in Old English used of monsters and Vikings; in Middle English used of animals' eating), from Proto-Germanic compound *fra- "for-" + *etan "to eat" (cf. Dutch vreton, Old High German freggan, German fressen, Gothic fraitan). Transitive sense of "eat away" is from late 12c. Figurative sense of "irritate, worry, eat one's heart out" is c.1200. Modern German still distinguishes essen for humans and fressen for animals. Related: Fretted; fretting. As a noun, from early 15c.
- verb worry, be annoyed
- verb upset someone
- verb rub hard
- If, however great the cause, I fret myself I disturb the right conditions.
- Extract from : « The Conquest of Fear » by Basil King
- Do not fret over this: it is so lucky that you will soon be well again.
- Extract from : « Rico and Wiseli » by Johanna Spyri
- He who is without expectation cannot fret if nothing comes to him.
- Extract from : « Pax Vobiscum » by Henry Drummond
- Only there is my own choler, which overwhelms me; I fret that I cannot live for a moment happy.
- Extract from : « His Masterpiece » by Emile Zola
- Well, she'd have to go bankrupt, but she didn't intend to fret about it now.
- Extract from : « L'Assommoir » by Emile Zola
- Say 'cal'late' if you want to, I am not going to fret you about your grammar any more, Daniel.
- Extract from : « Cap'n Dan's Daughter » by Joseph C. Lincoln
- She was joyous as a bird in its narrow cage, and never did she fret at the bars which bound her.
- Extract from : « The Scapegoat » by Hall Caine
- Don't you fret, Bub, the cap'n'll be here for you some time to-night.
- Extract from : « The Portygee » by Joseph Crosby Lincoln
- So he went home, to fret and toss angrily and miserably half the night.
- Extract from : « The Portygee » by Joseph Crosby Lincoln
- How is poor father, does he look much older does he fret for me now?
- Extract from : « A Son of Hagar » by Sir Hall Caine
Synonyms for fret
- abrade
- affront
- agitate
- agonize
- anguish
- bleed
- bother
- brood
- carp
- carry a heavy load
- chafe
- chagrin
- corrode
- displease
- distress
- distress oneself
- disturb
- eat one's heart out
- erode
- excoriate
- fray
- fume
- fuss
- gall
- get into a dither
- get on nerves
- goad
- grieve
- harass
- irk
- irritate
- lose sleep over
- mope
- nag
- nettle
- peeve
- pique
- pother
- provoke
- riffle
- rile
- ripple
- ruffle
- stew
- sweat it out
- take on
- torment
- trouble
- upset oneself
- vex
- wear away
- wear threadbare
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019