as in to spend
to use up carelessly
fiddled away the entire evening surfing the Internet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of fiddle away
Her positive pablum came too late to stop critics from casting her as a modern-day Nero, the emperor who supposedly fiddled away as Rome burned.
—
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fiddle away
Verb
-
Joabe Barbosa, Matthew Plese and Omar Yousaf spent the day riding the entire MARTA rail system in an attempt to complete the full route in roughly three hours.—
Kaley Fedko,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Visitors can spend their entire trip switching off between the two, but be sure to take some time to explore the rocky cove beaches called calas that have made Costa Blanca famous.—
Liz Provencher,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Britain ultimately lost not only because of Washington’s extraordinary tenacity in the war’s several mainland theaters, but also because the king’s men had to stage long sieges, wage desperate naval battles, and take mounting casualties on too many other fronts spread too far apart.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Department stores have been losing market share for decades, first to big-box discounters like Walmart and Target in the 1980’s and 90’s, and more recently to Amazon.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Stained clothing, furniture, and rugs, anything that smells musty or mildewy, and items stored in spaces with termite, bedbug, or mice infestations should be thrown away rather than donated.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Most are used once and thrown away.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The documentary explores that moment as both a turning point in the investigation and a look at Wuornos’ history of abuse and abandonment — and the longing for connection that runs through her story.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Silvetti joined the club as part of the MLS U-22 initiative and his contract runs through 2029, with an option for 2030.—
Andre Fernandez,
Miami Herald,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fiddle away.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fiddle%20away. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share