1
as in to fidget
to make jerky or restless movements
the executive fiddled with a pen as she impatiently waited for the meeting to begin
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to cheat
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
conscienceless grifters who had spent their lives fiddling the naive
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in nuts
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
oh, fiddle! I've heard that excuse a thousand times before
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in scam
chiefly British
an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value
the e-mail was another one of those fiddles from some supposed millionaire seeking to transfer funds out of his country
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fiddle
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
As Rossini stowed her purse in a tiny back office, a manager named Katie Atlas was onboarding a new employee, a young woman who fiddled nervously with her necklace.
—Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 11 Apr. 2026
Samantha Mathis does solid work playing Princess Daisy (Peach’s second-fiddle in the games, here elevated to leading lady), but the real highlight is stars Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as Mario and Luigi.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fiddle
Verb
But in private, Arthur advises her to exercise a little more discretion in her, um, fiddling.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
As Rossini stowed her purse in a tiny back office, a manager named Katie Atlas was onboarding a new employee, a young woman who fiddled nervously with her necklace.
—Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
This is especially true for finicky houseplants like fiddle leaf figs and crotons, which are known to suddenly lose their leaves after being moved to a new place or receiving a sudden change in care.
—Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 11 Apr. 2026
Samantha Mathis does solid work playing Princess Daisy (Peach’s second-fiddle in the games, here elevated to leading lady), but the real highlight is stars Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as Mario and Luigi.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fiddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fiddle
Verb
-
Pekara said hospital surveillance footage captured him fidgeting under the blanket.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Each chair is equipped with an exercise band around the legs to allow children to kick and fidget safely while sitting.—
Jenna Ebbers,
Kansas City Star,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Though that 2017 championship is marred by one of the most egregious cheating scandals in baseball history.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
-
The penalty killers can’t cheat towards one or two guys.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Noun
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But for people who consume fewer calories, like Matthews’s mother, those calories and the protein in them are better off coming from whole foods—such as chicken, beans, nuts and vegetables.—
Bethany Brookshire,
Scientific American,
11 May 2026
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Pistachio nuts are also a favorite go-to snack.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
If released, that information could be used for scams, identity theft, or further cyberattacks.—
Tori Mason,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
-
How the cryptocurrency scam crackdown unfolded Authorities worked with partners around the world, including the Dubai Police and law enforcement agencies in Thailand and beyond.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Fatu annihilated Reigns with another vicious clothesline and tossed him shoulder-first into the steel ring post.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
-
After Washington opener Richard Lovelady tossed two scoreless innings, Zack Littell worked four innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
10 May 2026
Verb
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It was triggered, in his telling, by the record oil price spike of June 2008, which forced ordinary households to absorb more than $2,000 in additional energy costs on top of adjustable-rate mortgage resets that were already squeezing them.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
-
Gas prices, housing costs and groceries are squeezing people who are working hard yet still falling behind.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
And Bianco’s rhetoric about forcing changes in state law enforcement — especially on immigration — without the cooperation of Democratic supermajorities in the Legislature is authoritarian nonsense.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
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There’s still all this nonsense about the temptation of the female body, and the need for nuns to shield themselves from prying eyes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Here, American fighter planes, cargo ships and Japanese freighters have spent decades transforming into thriving artificial reefs, draped in coral and surrounded by twitching clouds of tropical fish.—
Dea Jusufi,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
-
Pebbles twitched, branches waggled, cholla wiggled, weeds erupted then dried up and died.—
Alina Hartounian,
NPR,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fiddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fiddle. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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