tweak

1 of 2

verb

tweaked; tweaking; tweaks

transitive verb

1
: to make usually small adjustments in or to
tweak the controls
especially : fine-tune
2
: to injure slightly
3
: to pinch (a person or a body part) lightly or playfully
4
: to pinch and pull with a sudden jerk and twist : twitch
tweaked a bud from the stem
5
a
: annoy, bother
tweaking the establishment
b
: to criticize especially in a sly or sharp manner
c
: to poke fun at

intransitive verb

1
: pull, pluck
2
: to make small adjustments

tweak

2 of 2

noun

plural tweaks
1
: a small change or adjustment
We made a few tweaks to the original recipe.
Jellyfish collects information about what's happening behind the scenes and rushes it to its corporate clients so they can make investments based on things like forthcoming regulations or tax code tweaks.Tim Murphy
They'd try making helpful tweaks to the way my chair faced the computer …Lucette Lagnado
2
: a sharp pinch or jerk
a tweak of the nose
Archie laughed, and Rose, seeing a merry blue eye winking at her from behind two brown hands, gave Charlie's ear a friendly tweakLouisa May Alcott
3
: a slight injury causing pain
… it's worth remembering that Pryor is a more dangerous runner than passer, so even a slight tweak of the leg or ankle could be a significant blow to the offense at State College.Bob Hunter

Examples of tweak in a Sentence

Verb We just wanted to tweak his original idea a bit. He tweaked his ankle playing soccer. My brother hates it when our grandmother tweaks his cheek.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Note that the mission and vision statements will probably not change, but the aspirational goals on the right will be tweaked and modified. Tom Coughlin, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The Federal Aviation Administration sets out the basic requirements for every safety briefing, though airlines can tweak the exact wording and how the information is delivered. Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 29 Feb. 2024 Google previously tweaked its search engine to show greater diversity in images. Will Knight, WIRED, 29 Feb. 2024 Erik Edwards, one of Battelle’s principal materials scientists, said that the Food and Drug Administration’s review process for new devices has led the team to tweak existing products rather than propose wholesale changes. Ted Alcorn, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2024 But all results and content need careful inspection for accuracy, some tweaking or deep edits — and both tech companies advise users verify everything generated by the AI. Danielle Abril, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2024 The play’s development has required plenty of tweaking to keep up with the real world’s ever-evolving discourse around emerging technologies. Ashley Lee, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2024 The Elite model has a hotel-style key card and a sport mode that tweaks steering, pedal response and ambient lighting. Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 22 Feb. 2024 First, the administration has tweaked or expanded existing loan forgiveness options through regulatory changes and executive actions, allowing many more borrowers to qualify. Adam S. Minsky, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
Noun
While some tweaks were necessary to the exterior, the interior looks identical to that found in the coupé with the exception of a neck warmer and an optional wind blocker. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 1 Mar. 2024 Here’s three simple tweaks MLS could make to the schedule that would free five additional weeks for regular season play, which would in turn leave more space for the Open Cup and other commitments outside the league. Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 This team is one Logan Webb oblique tweak away from abject disaster. Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2024 University presidents who make up the CFP Board of Managers unanimously approved one last tweak to increase the number of at-large bids from six to seven. Ralph D. Russo and Stephen Hawkins, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2024 Self made a defensive tweak to the Jayhawks’ ball-screen coverage at halftime. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 18 Feb. 2024 OpenAI says there are a few tweaks to be worked out, including not understanding cause and effect. Maxwell Zeff / Gizmodo, Quartz, 16 Feb. 2024 This can easily be used for QR codes with just a few tweaks. Jonathan Fischbein, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 With tweaks and time, city officials and their partners hope the homeownership program will expand its impact. Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tweak.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

probably alteration of Middle English twikken to pull sharply, from Old English twiccian to pluck — more at twitch entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1601, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 4

Noun

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of tweak was in 1601

Dictionary Entries Near tweak

Cite this Entry

“Tweak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tweak. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tweak

verb
1
: to pinch and pull with a sudden jerk and twist
2
: to make small adjustments in or to
tweak the controls
3
: to injure slightly
tweak noun

More from Merriam-Webster on tweak

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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