Fretful

Pronunciation: /ˈfrɛtfəl/

Definitions of fretful

adjective feeling or expressing distress or irritation

Example Sentences

A1 She was fretful about the upcoming exam.

A2 The baby became fretful when he was hungry.

B1 The fretful mother paced back and forth, waiting for news about her son.

B2 The fretful employee constantly checked his email for updates on the project.

C1 Despite his fretful nature, he managed to stay calm under pressure.

C2 Her fretful behavior was a result of years of anxiety and stress.

Examples of fretful in a Sentence

formal The fretful mother paced back and forth in the waiting room, anxious for news about her son's surgery.

informal She's been acting so fretful lately, I think she's worried about her upcoming exams.

slang Why are you so fretful about the party? Just relax and enjoy yourself.

figurative The storm clouds gathered in the sky, casting a fretful shadow over the town.

Grammatical Forms of fretful

• past tense: fretted
• plural: fretfuls
• comparative: more fretful
• superlative: most fretful
• present tense: fret
• future tense: will fret
• perfect tense: have fretted
• continuous tense: is fretting
• singular: fretful
• positive degree: fretful
• infinitive: to fret
• gerund: fretting
• participle: fretting

Origin and Evolution of fretful

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'fretful' originated from Middle English 'fretten' which means 'to devour, consume', derived from Old English 'fretan' meaning 'to eat up, consume'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'fretful' shifted from 'to devour, consume' to its current usage meaning 'feeling or expressing distress or irritation'.