tampering

verb

present participle of tamper
as in fiddling

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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 tampering There is a growing perception that some schools are frequently tampering and that knowledge compels other schools to tamper as well to avoid being placed at a competitive disadvantage. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 12 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tampering
  1. fiddling
  2. fooling
  3. encroaching
  4. invading
  5. trespassing
  6. playing
  7. intervening
Verb
  • The original Rowdy Rooster, a slim storefront on a scrappy East Village block, closed earlier this year, menu fiddling notwithstanding.
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 19 July 2026
  • The Fed's influence on credit and the economy is minimal; credit is produced by real-world productivity, not central bank fiddling.
    — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of fiddling
Verb
  • Throughout all the commotion, Romelu Lukaku acted as decoy, holding on to the ball, fooling everyone, including the TV producer, who pulled up a graphic showing his recent penalty record.
    — Geir Jordet, New York Times, 15 July 2026
  • Speaking on Harvard Business School’s The Founder Mindset podcast, hosted by senior lecturer and serial entrepreneur Reza Satchu, the Shark Tank investor argued that anyone trying to balance a young company against the rest of their life is fooling themselves.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 17 June 2026
Definition of fooling
Verb
  • Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett told lawmakers Tuesday that a sharp increase in threats targeting her and other justices is increasingly encroaching on their personal and family lives.
    — Lindsay Whitehurst, Fortune, 14 July 2026
  • The funk and rock sounds fight against ever-encroaching mud and hiss; pretty melodies are offset by punishing bass or rendered disorienting by creative panning in the mix.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 July 2026
Definition of encroaching
Verb
  • It’s been years since Odysseus has been home, and Penelope (Hathaway), his wife, is now forced to keep dozens of gluttonous suitors at bay after invading her home.
    — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 16 July 2026
  • Fearful of invading marauders, humankind has turned distrustful and stingy, ignoring Zeus’ command to show generosity toward the poor and foreign-born, a cornerstone of faith that would later be repurposed in the New Testament.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of invading
Verb
  • The company sued him for trespassing on its vacant property next to his home.
    — Jena Brooker, ProPublica, 6 July 2026
  • Instead of Cady as rapist, Cape Fear seems to be going for a general theme of Cady as violator, someone who is trespassing not singularly on a female body but on the Bowdens’ trustworthiness.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 26 June 2026
Definition of trespassing
Verb
  • Only the two teams that make the championship game playing a sixth game, but the Heat is likely out of the mix for the championship game with two losses in Las Vegas.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
  • The excitement surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup has inspired many fans, from former players to beginners, to slide into a pair of shin guards and start playing the beautiful game.
    — Nicole Williams, AJC.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of playing
Verb
  • Bailey, 24, was accused of knowing about the abuse that the child’s father, Steven Collins, inflicted on their son Kahleb and not intervening or reporting it, prosecutors alleged.
    — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026
  • Community health workers used to intervening with substance use disorder patients can prioritize people at risk of serious harm or death from alcohol.
    — Isabella Cueto, STAT, 14 July 2026
Definition of intervening

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tampered (with)
tampering
tampering (with)
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Cite this Entry

“Tampering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tampering. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of tampering for Spanish Speakers

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