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

This trio would hear live demos, fiddle with the instruments, and interrogate their inventors before declaring a winner. —Matthew Sherrill, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025

A little fiddling with browser settings or plug-ins can even get this URL parameter inserted automatically into every search. —Ars Technica, 31 Jan. 2025

But the Coast Guard also slowed progress with overly optimistic timelines, fuzzy cost estimates and a tendency to keep fiddling with new designs, according to a 2023 Government Accountability Office report. —Mckenzie Funk, ProPublica, 23 Jan. 2025

During these workouts, the machine will automatically adjust your speed and incline to follow the instructor—no more fiddling with buttons mid-sweat session. —Jennifer Heimlich, SELF, 23 Jan. 2025