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

Presidential addresses to Congress are always reminders that elections have consequences because the winner gets to frame, talk and control the narrative, and the losers have to sit on their hands or, in the case of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, fiddle with their phones. —The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Mar. 2025

Knowing how to use Excel well could be the difference between spending hours manually fiddling with data or breezing through your workday, and the 2024 Ultimate Excel Training Bundle is here to help make that happen. —Jessica Kanzler, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2025

Last year’s game was the first time the NBA returned to an East versus West after a few years of fiddling with the event, including having captains select their rosters, regardless of conference. —Zach Powell, The Athletic, 15 Feb. 2025

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