as in fiddling (around)
to spend time in aimless activity
I spent all weekend at home just puttering around
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puttering (around)
Verb
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The Bucks did exactly what Antetokounmpo asked, playing the Warriors tough all night and eventually pulling out a win behind a career-high 32 points from Ryan Rollins.—
Eric Nehm,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025 -
It’s taken time, Fonseca admits, to grow accustomed to playing in front of such raucous crowds.—
George Ramsay,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Gisin hopes that by fooling around with measurements of these more exotic states, physicists will come to better understand the role of measurement in general.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Apple isn't messing around with this update.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
21 Oct. 2025
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The dismantling of the Cubs in the NLDS was a statement series that the Brewers are not messing around and have the power to win their first World Series.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In 2019, city employees began hanging about 500 trick-or-treat pumpkin buckets in the trees on Main Street every October.—
Elliott Harrell,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
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Orion Nebula Those viewing from a dark sky location may also notice a blurry patch of light hanging about 5 degrees below Orion's belt.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
14 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Puttering (around).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puttering%20%28around%29. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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