diddled

verb

past tense of diddle
1
as in dragged
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 cheated
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 diddled
  1. dragged
  2. cheated
  3. delayed
  4. hustled
  5. lingered
  6. squeezed
  7. poked
  8. plucked
Verb
  • One smashed in the front passenger window while others approached the driver‘s side door and dragged him outside.
    — Jenny Jarvie Follow, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Technology stocks dragged the market lower, with the Nasdaq Composite sliding by around 1%.
    — Justina Lee,Alex Harring, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of dragged
Verb
  • The Times has interviewed more than a dozen clients and investors who said they were cheated by Holdo.
    — Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The rest of us just got the surface, but who could feel cheated?
    — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheated
Verb
  • Magyar's predecessor, Viktor Orbán, was an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who repeatedly delayed or blocked European Union sanctions on Russia and pursued energy deals with Russia.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Jennings completed 26 of 36 passes for a career-best 430 yards and three touchdowns as SMU (1-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) outlasted the Seminoles in a game that was delayed nearly two hours due to a power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium.
    — Associated Pess, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of delayed
Verb
  • His play-by-play recall might mention the runner who hustled to beat out a double play or the pitchers who kept it close in the later innings.
    — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Facing questions about a totally different set of Piker comments, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hustled into an elevator.
    — Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of hustled
Verb
  • But despite Rexha’s rousing encore, her question still lingered.
    — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 7 Sep. 2026
  • In this case, the shark — which Gauna believes to be a roughly 9-foot juvenile — lingered within arm’s length of the swimmer, circling him several times.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of lingered
Verb
  • Add in Braxton Berrios, the Giants’ punt returner and backup slot receiver, and that squeezed Slayton out.
    — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Independent designers, once a discovery engine, were being squeezed, while the biggest brands put more investment into their own stores, creating a dichotomy in experiences that Bron felt was palpable.
    — Hilary Milnes, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of squeezed
Verb
  • Better together Industry analysts, experts and insiders have consistently poked holes in the states' argument that the combination of TV networks would create antitrust issues.
    — Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
  • So too were the buildings, including my hotel, which poked through the seven-foot-high snowbanks, looking like an ancient shipwreck covered in shifting sand.
    — Adam H. Graham, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of poked
Verb
  • Other items were plucked from antique stores and flea markets around the globe.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Antonelli started 19th and plucked his way through the crowd, finally catching up to Russell and battling with him for the victory.
    — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of plucked
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.

Browse Nearby Words

diddle
diddled
diddled (with)
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Cite this Entry

“Diddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diddled. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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