fiddly

adjective

fid·​dly ˈfi-dᵊl-ē How to pronounce fiddly (audio)
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

Examples of fiddly in a Sentence

connecting up all the wires and the other fiddly bits
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Without synthetics to rely on for stretch and grip, Cottonique uses drawstrings, which could be considered fiddly and bulky, or too much of a trade-off, particularly for undergarments. Sophie Benson, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025 If the plan is to film trail runs, moto rides, beach days, or ski laps without battery anxiety or fiddly menus, this price gets you straight to recording and sharing. PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2025 Set on the shores of the Caspian Sea, the anti-clockwise layout manages to combine some of F1's highest top speeds with a rather fiddly section through the old city, all of it lined with walls and barriers to punish mistakes. Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2025 BikeOn View gallery - 3 images While power meters are very handy tools for tracking your cycling performance, mounting and calibrating the things can be a fiddly process. New Atlas, 20 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fiddly

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fiddly was in 1926

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Cite this Entry

“Fiddly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiddly. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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