1
as in fidgeted
to make jerky or restless movements
the executive fiddled with a pen as she impatiently waited for the meeting to begin
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cheated
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
conscienceless grifters who had spent their lives fiddling the naive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fiddled
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
Communities across the globe probably independently fiddled their way towards the invention of proto lip balms over and over.
—Mark Hay, Popular Science, 13 Aug. 2025
Hannah Goldfield, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Communities across the globe probably independently fiddled their way towards the invention of proto lip balms over and over.
—Mark Hay, Popular Science, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fiddled
Verb
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Children fidgeted in the relentless August heat.—
Jacqui Gifford,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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James' office probed allegations that the organization inflated the former president's net worth by billions of dollars and cheated lenders and others with false and misleading financial statements.—
Ivan Pereira,
ABC News,
9 Oct. 2025
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Learn about the latest scam that has cheated companies out of millions.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This rich and creamy dip has a base of cream cheese and Cheddar, with bacon, green onions, and a bit of crunch from almonds tossed on top.—
Nellah Bailey McGough,
Southern Living,
25 Oct. 2025
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Loftis tossed what could have been two interceptions, both of which were dropped by Mean Green defenders.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Pieces from Stock are often plucked by stylists for celebrity editorials for Vanity Fair, Esquire and GQ.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Oct. 2025
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This faux Dunhill Fir is designed to look and feel like a tree plucked straight off the lot, without the single-season lifespan or mess of shedding needles.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Her hand twitched from the heat.—
Zuzana Říhová,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
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My hand twitched toward the phone, muscle memory stronger than willpower.—
Maggie Downs,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the eighth, the Dodgers squeezed two more out of Toronto’s bullpen to create a cushion for Yamamoto.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
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But the program may still get squeezed by the sweeping cuts proposed across the government.—
Katie Thornton,
New Yorker,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The open section of their session lasted for 15 minutes — and Howe will have squirmed through every second — but there were laughs amid the stretches and shuttle runs.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Instead of slowly taking the ball out of the rim, the Celtics hustled to push the ball up court.—
Jay King,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
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Without any additional hesitation, McMillian hustled over to the white backdrop to pose alongside Curry.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fiddled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fiddled. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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