tampering

[ tam-per-ing ]

noun

1. the act or process of changing, damaging, or interfering with something, especially with intent to falsify, cheat, or defraud:

   Data transmitted over an SSL connection cannot be forged without the two parties becoming immediately aware of the tampering.

   In a clear case of tampering, players were caught using sandpaper to alter the ball.

2. the act or process of dealing secretively, improperly, or underhandedly with someone:

   I had a duty to report the witness tampering to the judge.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tampering¹

tamper ¹( def ) + -ing ¹( def )

Example Sentences

If you’ve never tampered with Google’s search settings, then you are always getting the results for the country you are currently in.

From Search Engine Land

Outraged, Miller threw the sushi away, afraid that someone in the restaurant had spit in or otherwise tampered with his food, he later told colleagues.

From Washington Post

That firm, Chainalysis, published a blog post detailing how it analyzed the Bitcoin blockchain—a tamper-proof public ledger of transactions—to track the hacker’s activities.

From Fortune

I’ve been hearing about voting polls being tampered with, mail being held up to stop voting, and all kinds of other schemes to make sure every vote isn’t counted.

From TruthBeTold.news

Such language is consistent with Square CEO Jack Dorsey’s recent advocacy for digital currencies like Bitcoin, which are controlled by no central authority, and which create a tamper-proof record of transactions.

From Fortune

Because of this, tampering with the nature of one has an impact on the nature of the other.

From The Daily Beast

But he grew intolerant of clients tampering with his illustrations.

From The Daily Beast

Why is he re-introducing the idea of tampering with Medicare in an election year?

From The Daily Beast

Her fellow firefighters strung a giant bra across the firehouse ceiling and endangered her life by tampering with her oxygen tank.

From The Daily Beast

XXXX is the same officer investigated for witness tampering.

From The Daily Beast

Many instruments have had the sound holes spoiled and the surface of the wood inside gored by unskilful tampering with the post.

From Project Gutenberg

At first Brodrick was more than ever enraged with Prothero for tampering with other people's families like that.

From Project Gutenberg

Civil law, which is God's ordinance, prohibits tampering with any testament of man.

From Project Gutenberg

Facts like these show how stubbornly a language resists radical tampering with its phonetic pattern.

From Project Gutenberg

This was treason—an overt tampering with the allegiance of the followers; and the subordinate was driven forth with contumely.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• intrusive
• meddling
• nosy
• pushy