as in scams
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
Relevance
1
as in fidgets
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 plucks
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 fiddles
Megan Margulies, Travel + Leisure, 11 Oct. 2025
For Best Traditional, expect fiddles, pedal steel, banjo, and mandolin on many of the albums — and both newcomers and country legends alike nominated for awards.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
Country exists in two realities at once — the fiddles-and-steel-guitar traditionalists on one side and glossy crossovers on the other.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
Over a mashup of fiddles and guitars, Tod and Jennings blend their rough-hewn voices on a song about consequences for older vices and choices, pondering when the consequences of those actions outweigh the vices themselves.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2025
Editorial, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
Noun
Make sure to go on a night when the Moondogs bluegrass band is performing with washboards and fiddles.
—Megan Margulies, Travel + Leisure, 11 Oct. 2025
For Best Traditional, expect fiddles, pedal steel, banjo, and mandolin on many of the albums — and both newcomers and country legends alike nominated for awards.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
Country exists in two realities at once — the fiddles-and-steel-guitar traditionalists on one side and glossy crossovers on the other.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
Over a mashup of fiddles and guitars, Tod and Jennings blend their rough-hewn voices on a song about consequences for older vices and choices, pondering when the consequences of those actions outweigh the vices themselves.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
Meanwhile, Congress fiddles while structural defects in Medicare and Social Security threaten to engulf the programs.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fiddles
Noun
-
This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Oct. 2025
-
But a proliferation of scams means there are patterns to draw, which Walton does in his book, Anatomy of a Con Artist.—
Katherine Laidlaw,
HubSpot,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The man fidgets, shifts around in his seat and fixates on Zarutska before pulling out a small knife and striking her multiple times around her neck.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The dog jumps up and plucks the burger from her—a move that left viewers stunned and amused by the canine's flawless execution.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
-
There may be even greater reasons to put an ad that plucks the heartstrings in front of a broader crowd.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In the knee-jerk world of modern football, yesterday’s world-beaters are tomorrow’s frauds.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
-
This fan-favorite promotion returns after nearly 10 years away, having been shelved following the exposure of one of the biggest frauds in corporate marketing history.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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When the Linguina Monograno all’Astice arrives, there are oohs and aahs as a waiter tosses the pasta in front of guests and finishes with a sprinkling of zest from a cedro, a large Italian citrus.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
10 Oct. 2025
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The second of those four TD tosses was the 250th of Mahomes’ career, and no quarterback in NFL history had reached that milestone in fewer games.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Some devices, for example, track eye movements or other small muscle twitches to let users select words from a screen.—
Emma R. Hasson,
Scientific American,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
And now, one such creation slithers, squeezes, and twists through the narrowest corners.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Oct. 2025
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The surgeon withdraws the balloon and then squeezes the implant in through a sterile funnel before closing the incision.—
Jolene Edgar,
Allure,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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When Brian and Murtagh report that Dougal offended the Grants and Colum had to promise Ellen’s hand to appease the situation, Lord Lovat squirms.—
Lincee Ray Published,
EW.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fiddles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fiddles. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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