English Reference

Word

fretting

Phoneticsfret·ting

US/ˈfɹɛtɪŋ/

UK/fɹˈɛtɪŋ/

Definition

v. to worry or be very upset about something that might happen. You use this when you are thinking too much about a problem and it makes you feel stressed.

v. to worry or be troubled by something; to be in a state of anxious or troubled thought. Often implies a persistent, obsessive concern over a potential negative outcome.

Examples

“I am fretting about my exam results all day.”

“She spent the entire weekend fretting over whether she had made the right decision to move to a new city.”

“While some people thrive under pressure, others find themselves paralyzed by constant fretting, which can lead to a cycle of stress that prevents them from taking any decisive action at all.”

Examples

simple

“I am fretting about my exam results all day.”

contextual

“She spent the entire weekend fretting over whether she had made the right decision to move to a new city.”

complex

“While some people thrive under pressure, others find themselves paralyzed by constant fretting, which can lead to a cycle of stress that prevents them from taking any decisive action at all.”

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/fretting

English Reference