as in amateur
a person who regularly or occasionally engages in an activity as a pastime rather than as a profession
he's been tinkering with cars since he was a kid, and now he's a tinkerer who knows nearly as much as a mechanic
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Recent Examples of tinkerer
The printer works best with its own software and accessories, which could frustrate tinkerers who prefer open systems.
—
PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Founded by engineers, designers, and lifelong tinkerers frustrated by the barriers to traditional CNC manufacturing, the company’s mission is to make powerful digital fabrication tools smarter, simpler, and more accessible.
—New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2025
This Space Cowboys vibe makes sense because this tech boom looks less like the last one — social apps powered by subway ads and nap pods — than the 1980s PC revolution, powered by tinkerers with motherboards and soldering irons.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2025
The deal gives Qualcomm direct access to the tinkerers, hobbyists and companies at the lowest levels of the robotics industry.
—Kif Leswing, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2025
The tinkerer was a socialite and widow named Josephine Cochrane.
—Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
His uncle Leo, a naval engineer, noticed that his nephew was a budding tinkerer and gave him a Kodak photo-chemistry set for his sixth birthday.
—Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2025
At $3,499, it is clearly not priced for small-scale tinkerers.
—Dave Altavilla, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Founded by engineers, designers, and lifelong tinkerers frustrated by the barriers to traditional CNC manufacturing, the company’s mission is to make powerful digital fabrication tools smarter, simpler, and more accessible.
—New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2025
This Space Cowboys vibe makes sense because this tech boom looks less like the last one — social apps powered by subway ads and nap pods — than the 1980s PC revolution, powered by tinkerers with motherboards and soldering irons.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2025
The deal gives Qualcomm direct access to the tinkerers, hobbyists and companies at the lowest levels of the robotics industry.
—Kif Leswing, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2025
The tinkerer was a socialite and widow named Josephine Cochrane.
—Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
His uncle Leo, a naval engineer, noticed that his nephew was a budding tinkerer and gave him a Kodak photo-chemistry set for his sixth birthday.
—Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2025
At $3,499, it is clearly not priced for small-scale tinkerers.
—Dave Altavilla, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tinkerer
Noun
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In addition to Affleck, Whitney Leavitt — also of Mormon Wives fame — as well as Alix Earle, Robert Irwin, Scott Hoying of Pentatonix, Lauren Jauregui of Fifth Harmony, Jordan Chiles, Hilaria Baldwin and Danielle Fishel were cast as the show’s latest flock of celebrity amateur dancers.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
27 Oct. 2025
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The two meet at a performance at the Wisconsin State Fair, where assorted semi-amateurs get up to impersonate legends like Elvis and Buddy Holly and Barbra Streisand.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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For decades, Popular Science has highlighted the work of hobbyists.—
Laura Kiniry,
Popular Science,
22 Oct. 2025
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There are accounts with millions of followers and a flock of smaller hobbyists, all posting near-interchangeable updates on what’s for sale.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In layman’s terms, there’s a little joint in the knee that helps connect the shin bone and the fibula.—
Greg Liodice,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
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In layman’s terms, the car ran too close to the ground, something that yields performance benefits by increasing downforce.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Not dabblers in the slave trade, tycoons of the slave trade.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
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David Byrne came from Baltimore by way of Scotland, a socially awkward dabbler in conceptualist experiments with photography and a veteran of various mediocre cover bands.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tinkerer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tinkerer. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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