TINKERING Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

tinkering

verb

present participle of tinker

as in diddling (with)

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for tinkering

Verb

Diesel engine idling and high-risk industrial activity across the street from homes and parks would bring air, noise and light pollution.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026
And Rovell quickly discovered Kobe’s mind was incapable of idling, even during dead-of-night text exchanges.

— Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of idling

Verb

Kids who used to run to the field excited to play, suddenly started loafing to the field wearing their crocs with their heads buried in their phones.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
The pair had been loafing for some time among a grove of apple trees on a private residence in Payson.

— Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 20 Feb. 2026

Definition of loafing

Verb

Gvardiol looked jittery early on, rallied a little to break up some dangerous Porto attacks, but then started giving the ball away again and was booked for a needless pull after being caught dawdling in possession.

— Thom Harris, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Further, there’s no excuse for Congress to continue dawdling on farm policy.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025

Definition of dawdling

Verb

Above that, the expansive upper deck offers lounging areas, sunbeds, a bar, and a Jacuzzi.

— Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 6 Oct. 2026
If lounging by the water gets old, the resort runs a wide range of complimentary activities, from yoga sessions to an aloe scrub–making class.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of lounging

Verb

The whole thing plays like something concocted by an 8th grader sitting in the back of biology class and doodling movie ideas in his notebook, offering more proof that Besson has never quite risen above the juvenile tendencies of his early years.

— Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
While some might show their boredom by doodling on paper or playing on their phone, this pilot took his message to new heights – roughly 1,100 feet (335 meters).

— Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 14 July 2026

Definition of doodling

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“Tinkering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tinkering. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of tinkering

verb

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