fretful

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈfrɛt.fəl/ UK /ˈfret.fəl/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like threatful /θ/ vs /f/

Freq #96839

Meanings

1

adj
worried, restless, or unable to relax

The fretful child woke repeatedly during the storm.
2

adj
irritable and inclined to complain

After hours in the crowded station, the passengers grew tired and fretful.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · worried, restless, or... anxious restless uneasy

2 adj · irritable and inclined to... querulous peevishwhiny

Opposites

calm contented serene

Word family

Forms fretfullyfretfulness

Derived forms fretfullyfretfulness

Related forms fret worry

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

fretful sleep
rest that is disturbed by anxiety, discomfort, or repeated movement

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From fret + -ful. Fret in the sense 'worry or be distressed' developed from an older verb meaning 'devour or wear away,' so anxiety is pictured as something that consumes a person.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

markdown