Synonyms of fiddle

fiddle 1 of 2

verb

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

• fidget
• toss
• twitch
• jerk
• squirm
• twist
• wiggle
• jig
• jiggle
• shake
• writhe
• tremble
• shiver
• wriggle
• thrash
• thresh
• flit
• squiggle
• flutter
• quiver
• shudder
• quake
• pace
• twitter

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rest
• relax
• unwind
• calm (down)
• still

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

• cheat
• squeeze
• pluck
• stick
• hustle
• screw
• beat
• sting
• do
• diddle
• trick
• bleed
• shake down
• deceive
• swindle
• euchre
• sucker
• stiff
• rip off
• short
• skin
• chouse
• chisel
• con
• defraud
• gaff
• victimize
• rook
• fleece
• nobble
• ream
• mulct
• exploit
• flimflam
• shortchange
• bilk
• cozen
• take for a ride
• fool
• hose
• skunk
• thimblerig
• wrench
• take to the cleaners
• clip
• sell a bill of goods to
• betray
• do in
• extort
• wring
• soak
• nick
• gouge
• milk
• wrest
• bitch
• gull
• rope (in)
• overcharge
• dupe
• double-cross
• bamboozle
• fast-talk

fiddle

2 of 2

noun

ˈfi-dᵊl 

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

• nuts
• nonsense
• garbage
• jazz
• drool
• rubbish
• blah
• silliness
• stupidity
• muck
• beans
• bunk
• fudge
• fiddlesticks
• punk
• blither
• absurdity
• trash
• blatherskite
• rot
• twaddle
• craziness
• guff
• foolishness
• claptrap
• insanity
• crock
• baloney
• trumpery
• fiddle-faddle
• madness
• bull
• flapdoodle
• folderol
• bosh
• applesauce
• hokum
• humbuggery
• taradiddle
• balderdash
• bilge
• malarkey
• blather
• absurdness
• bunkum
• blarney
• piffle
• hokeypokey
• hogwash
• tosh
• tommyrot
• moonshine
• drivel
• nerts
• horsefeathers
• poppycock
• codswallop
• hoodoo
• folly
• hooey
• humbug
• crapola
• flannel
• idiocy
• tomfoolery
• gas
• slush
• senselessness
• foolery
• kookiness
• monkey business
• greek
• inaneness
• rigmarole
• inanity
• lunacy
• imbecility
• hot air
• shenanigan(s)
• witlessness
• fatuity
• monkeyshine(s)
• hocus-pocus
• asininity
• double-talk
• hoity-toity

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reasonableness
• rationality
• common sense
• sense
• horse sense
• sensibleness
• judgment
• levelheadedness
• wisdom
• reasonability
• discernment

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

• scam
• con
• fraud
• swindle
• shell game
• bunco
• scheme
• trick
• device
• flimflam
• sting
• hoax
• hustle
• cross
• jig
• racket
• fix
• pyramid scheme
• Ponzi scheme
• counterfeit
• dodge
• wile
• soaking
• stratagem
• forgery
• gouging
• ploy
• fake
• thimblerig
• gimmick
• three-card monte
• sham
• rip-off
• sleight
• phony
• overcharging
• humbug

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of fiddle

Verb

These are sophisticated push-button machines designed to take the faff and fiddle out of making good coffee at home—anything for an easy life. — Chris Haslam, Wired News, 8 May 2026

The contract model means that when Congress fiddles, it isn’t impacted. — The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 22 Mar. 2026

Noun

None of them even knew there are no figs on a fiddle leaf fig tree. — Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026

With Ernst Reijseger’s wonderfully varied score keeping pace, through folk fiddle and classical cello and stretches of wondering, wandering piano, there just have to be touches of fairytale and a dose of Looney Tunes. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026

Phrases Containing fiddle

• fiddle (around)
• fiddle (with)
• fiddle away