Word peeve: "Fraught"

"Fraught" is another perfectly good word that's being horribly abused.

Classical literature is full of "fraught." You may recall reading phrases which described a situation, person, or thing as:
- fraught with danger
- fraught with portent
- fraught with misgivings
- fraught with significance

Notice that, in classical literature, the object is always "fraught with something." It's never just "fraught."  Twentieth-century journalists who dared to use this word followed the rule, and made sure that something that was fraught, was fraught with something else.

Now, in the 21st century, we find bloggers and amateur journalists (and pseudo-experts getting their fifteen minutes of fame on Headline News) using "fraught" all by itself, with no modifiers.  That's wrong, and here's why.

"Fraught" is another way of saying "freighted." Think of loading a cargo ship or a train. Suitable synonyms for "fraught" or "freighted" are:
- "packed"
- "weighed down"
- "loaded"
- "laden"
- "full of" (for "fraught with")

That next-to-last one, "laden," is a good one. It's a snooty version of "loaded," just like "fraught" is a snooty version of "freighted."

If you want to use "fraught" in a sentence, then write it down, and then mentally substitute the word "loaded" and reread the sentence. If it sounds okay, then I guess you can use "fraught." On the other hand, if it sounds okay, why not just erase "fraught" and use "loaded?"  Or "laden," if you want to sound snooty.

UPDATE: No, don't use "loaded." "Loaded" has a secondary meaning which could accidentally legitimize "fraught." Instead, substitute "full" for "fraught." "Full" does a better job of exposing misuse of "fraught."

And do you think I should rewrite that second paragraph to say that "classical literature is fraught with 'fraught'"?

UPDATE THE SECOND: I am aware that the dictionary gives a definition for standalone fraught as "marked by or causing distress," to which I say "pah." You can find a better word to use than "fraught." Leave "fraught" for the same lawyers that say "egregious."