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
Relevance
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 Nigerian millionaire seeking to transfer funds out of his country
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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
as in to play
to spend time in aimless activity
we spent the snow day just fiddling around
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to play (with)
to handle thoughtlessly, ignorantly, or mischievously
I could tell that someone had been fiddling with the carefully set controls on my entertainment system
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2025
On March 12, just five days after Foxes in the Snow was released, headlines rolled out confirming the finalization of his divorce from Amanda Shires, the 43-year-old fiddle player with whom his musical career and lore was intrinsically intertwined.
—Derek Scancarelli, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
Hannah Sacks, People.com, 12 Mar. 2025
Bulla gave a veritable master class in bluegrass and Texas-style fiddling, as his Trio performed works ranging from bluegrass legends Bill Monroe and Kenny Baker to Lyle Lovett and Cole Porter.
—Del Mar Foundation, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fiddle
Noun
Jackson played a lead role in the Vegas Bowl, but may have to settle for third fiddle in the Trojans’ offense this season.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2025
On March 12, just five days after Foxes in the Snow was released, headlines rolled out confirming the finalization of his divorce from Amanda Shires, the 43-year-old fiddle player with whom his musical career and lore was intrinsically intertwined.
—Derek Scancarelli, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
Verb
This past summer, Munn posted an adorable video on her Instagram of Malcolm and Mulaney sitting on the couch and fiddling their fingers in the same exact manner.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 12 Mar. 2025
Bulla gave a veritable master class in bluegrass and Texas-style fiddling, as his Trio performed works ranging from bluegrass legends Bill Monroe and Kenny Baker to Lyle Lovett and Cole Porter.
—Del Mar Foundation, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fiddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fiddle
Noun
-
Use it to find and retrieve stray nuts or bolts in any crevice.—
Nora Colomer,
FOXNews.com,
30 Mar. 2025
-
Without that pollination, almond trees produce only 200 pounds of nuts per acre.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
And just as with banking scams and law enforcement scams, keep in mind that any such proactive approach is a scam.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
19 Apr. 2025
-
Aura Cost Plans from $9 to $25 per month, billed annually Standout features Protects against identity theft, financial fraud, spam calls, online theft, scam websites, viruses and malware.—
Ryley Amond,
CNBC,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Faced with a phrase that has no inherent meaning, the AI Overview still makes a good-faith effort to answer the user's request and draw some plausible explanation out of troll-worthy nonsense.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
29 Apr. 2025
-
None of this ‘support the teams from your country in Europe’ nonsense.—
Andy Mitten,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
And Thursday, jazz lovers can hear the sounds of Cooke as Miami group Old Skool Gang performs the full live recording at the Historic Ward Rooming House Gallery at 249 NW 9th Street in Overtown.—
Raisa Habersham,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2025
-
If there’s a way to shoehorn in a Las Vegas dance number, complete with jazz hands and ostrich feathers, do it!—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Unlike a regular old garbage bag, these are leakproof and durable (and thus much harder for a squirrel to rip into, if given the chance).—
Sara Coughlin,
SELF,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Four 20-pound bags of hamburger buns and sandwich breads got hit with Stop Sales, sending 80 pounds of bread into the garbage.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Depp pushes over a cabinet with dishes, rips open her dress and makes a most unholy noise as her eyeballs go up in their sockets, tongue juts out and globs of drool pour from her mouth.—
Brian Truitt,
USA TODAY,
24 Dec. 2024
-
Wipe the drool off your tank top, put some pants on, and get out your mama’s basement!—
Alex Perry,
The Enquirer,
6 Sep. 2024
Noun
-
Among the debris were bricks, tins of paint, stones, and other assorted rubbish.—
Arick Wierson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Apr. 2025
-
The effort has so far transformed more than 10 tons of flowers from would-be rubbish into fragrant souvenirs.—
Travel + Leisure Editors,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Living Better From blah to buoyant, these skills can improve your mood and optimism Why aim towards the ear?—
Andrea Muraskin,
NPR,
19 Apr. 2025
-
American Airlines is giving Midwesterners a new way to escape the winter blahs.—
Brandon Withrow,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fiddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fiddle. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share