as in amateurs
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 tinkerers
Rather than targeting end users, the company aims to empower developers, researchers, and tinkerers to create breakthrough humanoid applications without building full robots from scratch.
—
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
Dedicated sports engineers and tinkerers alike continue to fine tune specialized skate designs.
—Mark Hay, Popular Science, 28 Jan. 2026
Micron’s Crucial brand sold memory on sticks that tinkerers could use to build their own PCs or upgrade their laptops.
—Kif Leswing, CNBC, 3 Dec. 2025
The Ringbrothers Kingpin was unveiled at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show (SEMA) in Las Vegas, which is a haven for aftermarket wizards, tuners, and auto tinkerers of all stripes.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2025
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
At $3,499, it is clearly not priced for small-scale tinkerers.
—Dave Altavilla, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
Dedicated sports engineers and tinkerers alike continue to fine tune specialized skate designs.
—Mark Hay, Popular Science, 28 Jan. 2026
Micron’s Crucial brand sold memory on sticks that tinkerers could use to build their own PCs or upgrade their laptops.
—Kif Leswing, CNBC, 3 Dec. 2025
The Ringbrothers Kingpin was unveiled at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show (SEMA) in Las Vegas, which is a haven for aftermarket wizards, tuners, and auto tinkerers of all stripes.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 5 Nov. 2025
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
At $3,499, it is clearly not priced for small-scale tinkerers.
—Dave Altavilla, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tinkerers
Noun
-
Research shows many runners already under-consume carbs, with amateurs—who often lack sports‑nutrition guidance—being especially prone to inadequate intake.—
Outside,
Outside,
24 Mar. 2026
-
And in fact, in the 19th century, scientists that did science out of the pure love of doing science and not as a job were amateurs.—
Mariel Carr,
Scientific American,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This will enable the system to flexibly cover large areas and detect drones as small as the commercially available devices flown by hobbyists, as well as the Shaheds Iran is currently using to attack its Gulf neighbors and ships in the Strait of Hormuz.—
Haley Ott,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Group of beginners, hobbyists and professionals who like taking and sharing photos.—
Staff Report,
Baltimore Sun,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tinkerers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tinkerers. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
