tinker

1 of 2

verb

tin·​ker ˈtiŋ-kər 

tinkered; tinkering ˈtiŋ-k(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

: 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

transitive verb

: to repair, adjust, or experiment with

tinkerer

ˈtiŋ-kər-ər 

noun

tinker

2 of 2

noun

plural tinkers

1

a

: a usually itinerant mender of household utensils

b

: an unskillful mender : bungler

2

chiefly Ireland, sometimes offensive : romani sense 1

Synonyms of tinker

Verb

• play (with)
• toy (with)
• tamper (with)
• fool (with)
• fiddle (with)
• mess (with)
• monkey (with)

Examples of tinker in a Sentence

Verb

He was tinkering in the garage.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Young architects can tinker with the four-in-one eco-friendly home ($170) from Arckit, an Irish company whose modern-minimalist designs are an ideal complement to the colorful chaos of the Legoverse. —Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 15 Nov. 2025

In a breakthrough that could finally remove toxic lead from ferroelectric devices, scientists have discovered a way to boost the performance of lead-free ferroelectrics using pure mechanical force instead of chemical tinkering. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 14 Nov. 2025

Noun

Instead of diving straight into technical training, let your team start with exploring—tinker around with the new tool and share the benefits and challenges with one another. —Aytekin Tank, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English tinkere

First Known Use

Verb

1655, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing tinker

• give a tinker's damn
• tinker's dam
• tinker's damn
• worth a tinker's damn

Rhymes for tinker

• clinker
• drinker
• linker
• pinker
• sinker
• thinker
• freethinker

Video

A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia

Some imitative words are more surprising than others

Kids 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

tinkerer

-kər-ər 

noun