diddle 1 of 2

verb (1)

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

diddle (with)

2 of 2

verb (2)

as in to play (with)
to handle thoughtlessly, ignorantly, or mischievously if you use my home theater system, don't diddle with the settings—everything has been professionally calibrated

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
  • Trump is speaking now to a crowd filling the National Mall after being delayed by inclement weather.
    — Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 5 July 2026
  • Attendees were told to shelter in nearby government buildings, and the celebration was delayed by a few hours before going on as scheduled.
    — Jon Haworth, ABC News, 5 July 2026
Definition of delay
Verb
  • The American grandmaster shed some light on his mindset following Kramnik’s cheating accusations in a livestream prior to his death, according to the Associated Press.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
  • Trump has also continued to claim Democrats are trying to rig or cheat in the upcoming election, remarks that have faced rebukes from members of his own party.
    — Ana Ceballos Follow, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of cheat
Verb
  • Calderón, a big, bald man wearing a gold chain and cross-shaped earrings, sat off to the side, amid an entourage of muscular assistants in polo shirts, poking at his phone.
    — Will Freeman, New Yorker, 30 June 2026
  • Find a location with an unobstructed view to the southeast, where the full moon’s orangey disk will poke above the horizon minutes after the moonrise time — though exactly when depends on local terrain and buildings.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of poke
Verb
  • As artificial intelligence transforms the job market and rising living costs squeeze family budgets, the University of California system is making the case that its degrees remain valuable investments.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
  • Breweries may not have the budget or staff to create art and with rising costs squeezing small businesses, many breweries started to feature obvious generative AI art prominently as a way to talk about events or create content.
    — Em Sauter, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of squeeze
Verb
  • FireSat will help incident commanders get better information more quickly, and, unlike fire-spotting aircraft, the satellites can linger over a fire for days or weeks and aren’t hampered by high winds or smoke.
    — Eric Niiler, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • The severe weather threat will linger for parts of the mid-Atlantic on Sunday, stretching from northern Virginia into southern New Jersey, with cities like Richmond, DC, Baltimore and Philly in the threat zone once again.
    — Jon Haworth, ABC News, 5 July 2026
Definition of linger
Verb
  • Patina Osaka’s ground-floor restaurant, P72, focuses on seasonal produce sourced nearby and plucked daily from the hotel’s urban garden.
    — Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
  • Eyebrows were being plucked into oblivion, bronzer was used in excess, and hair was parted deeply to one side.
    — Lauren Alberti, Allure, 6 July 2026
Definition of pluck
Verb
  • But as the days dragged on, headlines about power outages and water shortages took a back seat to a far more gruesome and horrific reality.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Compounding concerns, California officials say the Department of Transportation is dragging its feet.
    — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of drag
Verb
  • The breeze was screwing with the sound system, and the temperature dropped abruptly.
    — Lily Goldberg, Pitchfork, 26 June 2026
  • Either Cody or Gunther wins because Sami gets screwed; Zayn will then further descend into madness and attack someone after the bell.
    — Darren Cooper, Forbes.com, 26 June 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 7 Jul. 2026.

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