tinkered; tinkering
ˈtiŋ-k(ə-)riŋ 
: to work in the manner of a tinker
especially
: to repair, adjust, or work with something in an unskilled or experimental manner : fiddle
always tinkering with his car
: to repair, adjust, or experiment with
plural tinkers
1
a
: a usually itinerant mender of household utensils
b
: an unskillful mender : bungler
2
chiefly Ireland, sometimes offensive
: romani sense 1
Examples of tinker in a Sentence
Verb
He was tinkering in the garage.
Recent Examples on the Web
Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2025
Rather than waiting to slide down the cognitive decline curve, people might consider tinkering with their metabolism to stave off their brain’s aging process or consider other strategies to combat cognitive decline.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 5 Mar. 2025
Eight years ago, the creative pioneer began tinkering with motion-capture cameras in hopes of finding a way to integrate taste and flavor into his works.
—Kristin Tablang, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
There will be some tinkering around the fringes, but with less than a year between the events, the cores will remain the same.
—Max Bultman, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
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Verb
But the bigger problem is an alien who’s tinkering with a gum flavor and turning residents into zombies.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2025
Rather than waiting to slide down the cognitive decline curve, people might consider tinkering with their metabolism to stave off their brain’s aging process or consider other strategies to combat cognitive decline.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 5 Mar. 2025
Eight years ago, the creative pioneer began tinkering with motion-capture cameras in hopes of finding a way to integrate taste and flavor into his works.
—Kristin Tablang, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
There will be some tinkering around the fringes, but with less than a year between the events, the cores will remain the same.
—Max Bultman, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tinker
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Cite this Entry
“Tinker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tinker. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tinker
1 of 2 noun
tin·ker
ˈtiŋ-kər
: a person who travels around and earns a living by repairing household utensils (as pots and pans)
tinker
2 of 2 verb
tinkered; tinkering
ˈtiŋ-k(ə-)riŋ
: to repair or adjust something in an unskilled or experimental manner
tinkering with his car
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