diddle

verb

ˈdi-dᵊl How to pronounce diddle (audio)
Definition of diddlenext
1
as in to delay
to move or act slowly even though the hurricane was fast approaching, federal and local politicians wasted precious time diddling

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats an unscrupulous Broadway producer diddles little old ladies by persuading them to invest in a surefire flop

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for diddle
  1. delay
  2. cheat
  3. poke
  4. squeeze
  5. linger
  6. pluck
  7. drag
  8. screw
Verb
  • Ferry services to islands were disrupted and trains arriving from Latvia and Lithuania delayed.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Paramount had previously agreed to delay the acquisition to as late as June 2027 due to the legal challenge, and a trial is set for March.
    — Ian Thomas, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of delay
Verb
  • Child safety advocates and some parents have welcomed age restrictions, while privacy groups say the rules can be cheated and that forcing users to supply identification raises privacy concerns.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The Model 3 and Model Y adopted less elaborate press-and-pivot handles, helping give the cars their clean, wind-cheating profiles.
    — Peter Lyon, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheat
Verb
  • Defender Kevin O'Toole poked the ball away, but Mboma Dem put away a sliding first-touch shot that opened the scoring in the 11th minute.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Somebody had taken a cosmic needle and poked holes in the dome so that the light could filter in.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of poke
Verb
  • Questions no longer centre on marking this era with a trophy, but on how much juice is left to squeeze.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • To protect a specific area, such as a garden, Parker recommends properly installing snake fencing made from quarter-inch hardware cloth, which can help keep even newborn copperheads from squeezing through.
    — Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of squeeze
Verb
  • Rain has already begun to move across the Big Island and is expected to continue through at least Monday, with lingering rain still impacting some of the islands possibly on Tuesday.
    — Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • If any lingering question of home-court advantage persisted, it was made crystal clear in the final 30 seconds who had the biggest backing, as Barclays erupted in celebration of the Liberty’s game-winning plays down the stretch.
    — Annie Costabile, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of linger
Verb
  • If the Panthers didn’t want him, in other words, he’d probably be plucked off the waiver wire by someone else.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Phoebes are adept flycatchers, and usually pluck their meals in midflight.
    — Joan Morris, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of pluck
Verb
  • Pleitez would later tell police she was being confronted by Ahumada and others, who were assaulting her 20-year-old companion and attempting to drag him from the car.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • An agreement could provide momentum for talks to renew the USMCA North American trade pact; US-Mexico talks have dragged on, and the White House has publicly opposed renewing the transcontinental deal.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of drag
Verb
  • Even Bari Weiss hasn’t figured out a way to screw that up (not yet, anyway).
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Rinse the faucet and aerator with clean water, screw on the aerator, and dry and buff the faucet with a clean microfiber cloth.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of screw
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.

Phrases Containing diddle

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did by
diddle
diddled
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Cite this Entry

“Diddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diddle. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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