fretfully
1
6.6
- adverb
- /ˈfrɛtfəli/
:
inquietamente
- "They're already half an hour behind schedule," his mother said fretfully, blindly flipping the pages of a much-handled Newsweek.
- said fretfully
- asked fretfully
Examples
-
"Jackie was still moving fretfully, but she was listening too.
Fiction book (1996) -
Children, missing their naps, whimpered fretfully, often falling asleep in their father's arms as they walked.
-
"Was I really your best man, Peter, or did you just say that?" Arthur asked fretfully.
Fiction book (1994) -
"They're a lot bigger than mice," she said fretfully.
Fiction book (1994) -
After that, Martha waited fretfully until the women raised their joined hands and cried, "Yo!" and burst out laughing.
Fiction book (1995) -
Children, missing their naps, whimpered fretfully, often falling asleep in their father's arms as they walked.
Fiction book (1991) -
"They're already half an hour behind schedule," his mother said fretfully, blindly flipping the pages of a much-handled Newsweek.
Fiction book (1990) -
Jackie was still moving fretfully, but she was listening too.
Synonyms
87
2.3
Shows worry or fear in the way someone acts
43
3.2
In a worried or nervous way
8
4.1
In an annoyed or impatient way
7
3.7
In a way that shows you cannot relax or stay still
3
3.9
In a nervous, worried way that shows stress
3
2.0
In a way that shows you feel afraid or unsure
2
8.1
In a childish, annoyed way that shows impatience
1
7.6
In a short angry way that shows you are annoyed
1
3.0
In a bad mood and speaking or acting in an unhappy way
1
8.1
To speak or move in a shaky, nervous way
1
6.0
In a nervous, tense way that shows worry
1
7.8
To act in an annoyed or offended way
To make small nervous movements because you feel impatient and uneasy
In a way that shows discomfort or nervousness by moving restlessly
In an annoyed and impatient way
In a bad-tempered, easily annoyed way
In a bad mood and complaining
In a way that shows worry or great sadness
Antonyms
How Fretful
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Fretfully comes from the verb fret, which long ago meant 'to eat away' or 'gnaw', so it gives the picture of worry slowly wearing you down. The ending -ful means 'full of' and -ly makes it an adverb, so fretfully means doing something in a way that shows you are full of worry, as if the worry is 'eating' at you.