fret
To keep worrying about something.
fret in a sentence
- Grandma fretted all afternoon about the burnt cake, though everyone said it tasted fine.
- 'Don't fret about the lost bus ticket,' said Dad, 'we can easily buy another one.'
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to fret?
- Arest
- Brelax
- Cworry
- Dunwind
Show the answer
C: worry. The other three mean the opposite of fret.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to fret?
- Aworry
- Brelax
- Cfuss
Show the answer
B: relax. The other three mean nearly the same as fret.
Words that mean something similar
worry, fuss
Words that mean the opposite
relax, unwind, rest
More words about emotions & feelings
- fume: To be very angry, often without saying anything.
- furious: Wildly angry, so cross that you can hardly keep calm.
- glee: A feeling of great delight and excitement.
- glum: Quietly sad and in low spirits.
- gratitude: A feeling of being thankful.
- grieve: To feel very sad because something or someone has been lost.
- hesitant: Slow to act because you are not sure.
- hilarious: Extremely funny.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test