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
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Recent Examples of tinkerers
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
From the early tinkerers who first imagined electrical speech to the engineers who built continental cables, digital switching, satellites, and wireless networks, countless inventors have pushed the limits of how far and how fast a human voice can travel.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 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
The New Yorker was inventing its voice, and Flanner was in the clique of tinkerers.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
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
From the early tinkerers who first imagined electrical speech to the engineers who built continental cables, digital switching, satellites, and wireless networks, countless inventors have pushed the limits of how far and how fast a human voice can travel.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 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
The New Yorker was inventing its voice, and Flanner was in the clique of tinkerers.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tinkerers
Noun
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By matching equipment specs to swing speed rather than gender, amateurs would find that LPGA launch angles, spin rates and shaft flexes are far more relevant to their game.—
Scott Kramer,
Forbes.com,
18 Jan. 2026
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On pretty much any day, professional artists and passionate amateurs of all ages are in studios, ballet schools or community centers.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The company operates three leisure travel tour brands, including EF Go Ahead Tours, EF Ultimate Break, and EF Adventures that supports all ages of travelers and numerous travel styles from foodies to hobbyists to more active travelers.—
Jeff Fromm,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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Because of the fledgling nature of America’s domestic drone industry, the ban is likely to throttle the overall availability of cheap, cutting-edge drones and spike prices for American hobbyists, consumers and businesses in the next few years.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
18 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tinkerers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tinkerers. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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