chiefly British
: requiring close attention to detail : fussy
especially
: requiring an annoying amount of close attention
the tiny control buttons on the back are fiddly —
M. J. McNamara
M. J. McNamara Examples of fiddly in a Sentence
connecting up all the wires and the other fiddly bits
Recent Examples on the Web
Years before analog thumbsticks would become a console standard, this thumbstick feels incredibly fiddly for the console's completely digital directional inputs.
—Ars Technica, 26 Nov. 2024
In automotive, though, where weight typically isn't as crucial and volume is king, it's been viewed as too slow, too expensive and too fiddly, so it's mainly been used for rapid prototyping and concept work – and the odd ultra-exclusive hypercar.
—New Atlas, 19 Nov. 2024
There are a lot of fiddly parts: capturing the right feedstock, securing it in the correct format and feeding any outputs into a preexisting commercial production process.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 1 Nov. 2024
These days kids have their phones and are very fiddly.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fiddly 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Ars Technica, 26 Nov. 2024
In automotive, though, where weight typically isn't as crucial and volume is king, it's been viewed as too slow, too expensive and too fiddly, so it's mainly been used for rapid prototyping and concept work – and the odd ultra-exclusive hypercar.
—New Atlas, 19 Nov. 2024
There are a lot of fiddly parts: capturing the right feedstock, securing it in the correct format and feeding any outputs into a preexisting commercial production process.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 1 Nov. 2024
These days kids have their phones and are very fiddly.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 8 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for fiddly
Dictionary Entries Near fiddly
Cite this Entry
“Fiddly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiddly. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share