fiddle with
phrasal verb
fiddled with; fiddling with; fiddles with
1
: to move or handle (something) with the hands or fingers in a nervous way
She was nervously fiddling with her pencil as she waited for the test to start.
2
: to change or handle (something, such as the controls of a machine) in a way that shows one is not sure what to do
He was fiddling with the controls of the television, trying to get it to work.
3
: to change (something) in a harmful or foolish way
It became clear that someone had fiddled with the equipment.
Examples of fiddle with in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For years, Freeman had been fiddling with the material, imagining and reimagining characters, revisiting childhood memories.
—
Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
Blending fiddle with a stomp-clap sing-along and a familiar hip-hop melody, the song etched a spot in music history this year by dominating charts and scoring near-countless streams.
—Matthew Leimkuehler, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
A day after making the moves, the Panthers provided three hours of evidence in Tampa that focusing on the future is the prudent thing to do rather than fiddling with the embers of a smoldering 4-12 season.
—Joseph Person, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
For the fiancées who fiddle with their hand jewelry, who often misplace their personal items, and who may have a job that requires them to remove their ring—this one’s for you.
—Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fiddle with 
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Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 6 Jan. 2025
Blending fiddle with a stomp-clap sing-along and a familiar hip-hop melody, the song etched a spot in music history this year by dominating charts and scoring near-countless streams.
—Matthew Leimkuehler, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
A day after making the moves, the Panthers provided three hours of evidence in Tampa that focusing on the future is the prudent thing to do rather than fiddling with the embers of a smoldering 4-12 season.
—Joseph Person, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
For the fiancées who fiddle with their hand jewelry, who often misplace their personal items, and who may have a job that requires them to remove their ring—this one’s for you.
—Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fiddle with
Dictionary Entries Near fiddle with
Cite this Entry
“Fiddle with.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiddle%20with. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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