fretful• The baby was tired and fretful.• And, in the next room, the over-protected child coughing and fretful.• The boy appeared fretful and disappointed that he couldn't join the others on their excursions.• All this makes Stephen fretful and peevish as well it might.• IronJosh wasn't the only one made fretful by the delay.• The engine stopped its fretfulclacking and began to bellow with satisfaction as the air became stronger.• She put her hand tentatively to her face, a small, fretful, cryescaping from her bruisedlips.• A more cautious, fretful group you would rarely meet.