1
as in to fidget
to make jerky or restless movements
the executive fiddled with a pen as she impatiently waited for the meeting to begin
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
conscienceless grifters who had spent their lives fiddling the naive
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in nuts
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
oh, fiddle! I've heard that excuse a thousand times before
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in scam
chiefly British
an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value
the e-mail was another one of those fiddles from some supposed millionaire seeking to transfer funds out of his country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of fiddle
Editorial, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
But in private, Arthur advises her to exercise a little more discretion in her, um, fiddling.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 24 May 2026
Scratching high on the bridge, Werner’s splintering fiddle calls to mind the slow, magical hatching of an egg.
—Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fiddle
Verb
Meanwhile, Congress fiddles while structural defects in Medicare and Social Security threaten to engulf the programs.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
But in private, Arthur advises her to exercise a little more discretion in her, um, fiddling.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
As anyone who's come within a hundred miles of the city will tell you, Nashville is a live-music mecca, overflowing with boot-stomping, fiddle-playing entertainment.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 24 May 2026
Scratching high on the bridge, Werner’s splintering fiddle calls to mind the slow, magical hatching of an egg.
—Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fiddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fiddle
Verb
-
Rafa starts to fidget around noon before mama is supposed to meet us for her lunch break.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
Pekara said hospital surveillance footage captured him fidgeting under the blanket.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Jay Cooke, who had once been lionized for his role in financing the Union victory, was attacked in the press and accused of cheating ordinary Americans out of their savings.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
-
The reunion comes 15 years after the couple divorced amid rumors of a cheating scandal.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
Tawny Port spends years in barrel, picking up notes of caramel, nuts, and toffee along the way.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
-
Pairing them with a meal containing some fat, even avocado toast or yogurt with nuts, makes a real difference.—
Allison Palmer
Updated June 13,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
As bitcoin becomes more involved in private contracts, treasury strategies, cross border settlement and business arrangements, disputes will not always arrive in court as dramatic stories about hacks or scams.—
Susie Violet Ward,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
-
For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Villanova would toss the Owls aside by 20 for its 22nd consecutive win against their Philly opponents, a walkover victory that barely moved the needle anywhere outside of the city limits.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
Add salmon to the remaining glaze in the bowl; toss gently to coat.—
Emily Teel,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
Profits are squeezed because of the RAM crisis and Samsung has responded with price increases and weaker deals.—
Janhoi McGregor,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
SpaceX argues that orbital data centers sidestep the land, water and power grid constraints squeezing terrestrial AI.—
Chris Stokel-Walker,
Scientific American,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Not only is that nonsense, but Israel took this into account.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
17 June 2026
-
Get outta here with that nonsense.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Leon Stetson was allegedly twitching, so officers moved him away from Carrie Stetson and started to render medical aid.—
Kellie Love,
Hartford Courant,
12 June 2026
-
Durrell alternates between slapstick domestic high jinks, wanderings through the lush natural landscape, and increasingly ambitious investigations of biological life, from tracking twitching bacteria in pond water to the mating habits of insects.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fiddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fiddle. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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