1
as in twitching
to grasp and move with a small forceful motion
Hey, you tweaked my nose!
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2
as in adjusting
to make small adjustments to
You can tweak the settings to customize the display. He spent considerable time tweaking the recipe.
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3
as in mocking
to make (someone or something) the object of criticism, amusement, or laughter
They're always tweaking me about my northern accent.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tweaking
The brand is tweaking its longtime motto for its new tie-up with Tinder, which was conceived for Pride Month and is aimed at celebrating love in all forms.
—
Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
Thousands of hours went into producing the final version, and Vitale said the team will continue tweaking it in the coming weeks.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 23 May 2026
The latest research, which includes the trajectory-tweaking gravitational effects of several satellite galaxies, indicates the odds of a collision are 50–50—a coin toss.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 22 May 2026
This is also Zvyagintsev’s first adaptation of pre-existing material, but the reworking feels more like a jazz virtuoso covering another artist’s tune, tweaking the rhythm, changing the key, and finding in the melody a whole new set of feelings.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026
In that sense, tweaking AI can be akin to playing whack-a-mole.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
But tweaking commercials may help to tamp down the problem.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 11 May 2026
The variety in feel across NeeDoh products — from the Nice Cube to the Gumdrop to the Gummy Bear to the Snow Ball to the Dohjees — comes from the company tweaking those internal materials.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2026
Over the next 25 years, the synth-heavy quartet grew into an institution of Canadian rock by steadily tweaking its sleek dance-rock sound.
—Ethan Beck, Pitchfork, 4 May 2026
Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 27 May 2026
Thousands of hours went into producing the final version, and Vitale said the team will continue tweaking it in the coming weeks.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 23 May 2026
The latest research, which includes the trajectory-tweaking gravitational effects of several satellite galaxies, indicates the odds of a collision are 50–50—a coin toss.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 22 May 2026
This is also Zvyagintsev’s first adaptation of pre-existing material, but the reworking feels more like a jazz virtuoso covering another artist’s tune, tweaking the rhythm, changing the key, and finding in the melody a whole new set of feelings.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026
In that sense, tweaking AI can be akin to playing whack-a-mole.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
But tweaking commercials may help to tamp down the problem.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 11 May 2026
The variety in feel across NeeDoh products — from the Nice Cube to the Gumdrop to the Gummy Bear to the Snow Ball to the Dohjees — comes from the company tweaking those internal materials.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2026
Over the next 25 years, the synth-heavy quartet grew into an institution of Canadian rock by steadily tweaking its sleek dance-rock sound.
—Ethan Beck, Pitchfork, 4 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tweaking
Verb
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Here, American fighter planes, cargo ships and Japanese freighters have spent decades transforming into thriving artificial reefs, draped in coral and surrounded by twitching clouds of tropical fish.—
Dea Jusufi,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
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Curry’s body began convulsing and twitching with increasing severity, consistent with him sustaining a traumatic brain injury from being punched in the face, documents state.—
Deborah Laverty,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The system delivers millimeter-level force-control accuracy, automatically adjusting applied force according to task requirements and material characteristics.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
2 June 2026
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At its core, ThermoShift is basically a rectangular insulated panel with zippers, buckles and drawstrings, and all of its configurations are achieved by adjusting those components.—
Maryna Holovnova,
New Atlas,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Hilton's campaign then shared Steyer's post on X, mocking the Democrat.—
Jackson Thompson OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2026
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Underneath the topmost layer (a user clicking through a browser), a comprehensive E2E setup involves mocking production endpoints, intercepting network requests, seeding databases, making precise assertions at every layer of the stack and integrating tightly with CI pipelines.—
Ethan Pronev,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Both teams’ forwards pressure real hard and are very physical while their defensemen are very active pinching deep, which results in extended zone time and wearing the opposition down.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
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Sometimes there was laughter from girls who were pinching or tickling each other.—
Annie Ernaux,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Verb
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The nanoparticle package also provides a guide RNA that directs the base-editing protein to make a specific base change and nick in a specific gene.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
28 May 2026
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Letters are subject to editing for clarity and length.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Off Campus is playing the long game by also teasing the fourth installment in Kennedy’s series, The Goal.—
Kenneal Patterson,
Vanity Fair,
29 May 2026
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Netflix’s The Boroughs ends with a twist, teasing the future of the series and hinting at the true origin of Mother.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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With Arena Monterrey shaking, El Grande II hit a flying clothesline for a nearfall.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
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YouTubers in their 20s are shaking things up in Hollywood.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Analysts today describe an institution constrained by shortages of fuel and spare parts and increasingly dependent on domestic improvisation — modifying, repurposing and cannibalizing older systems to keep them operational.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
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Optimizing the post-booking phase isn't simply a matter of applying new technology or modifying the retailing strategy.—
Juan Pablo Lafosse,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tweaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tweaking. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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