fiddle with

phrasal verb

fiddled with; fiddling with; fiddles with

1

: to move or handle (something) with the hands or fingers in a nervous way

She was nervously fiddling with her pencil as she waited for the test to start.

2

: to change or handle (something, such as the controls of a machine) in a way that shows one is not sure what to do

He was fiddling with the controls of the television, trying to get it to work.

3

: to change (something) in a harmful or foolish way

It became clear that someone had fiddled with the equipment.

Examples of fiddle with in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Check out the brand and fiddle with the 3D guitar builder tool on Shark's site. —Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 25 Jan. 2026

Denver would like to have a fully healthy rotation eventually, and when that time comes, fiddling with lineup combinations that intermingle starters and bench players will be a crucial component of playoff prep. —Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 24 Jan. 2026

These rising rates can force Hoosiers like Emerson Harper to carve up the household budget and fiddle with the thermostat. —Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 21 Jan. 2026

After activity guide Ella Daniels fiddled with the laptop connected to the machine, a zap. —Jessica Ma, Dallas Morning News, 18 Jan. 2026