twiddle
Americanverb (used with object)
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twiddles,
present (3rd person singular)
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twiddled,
past participle, past
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twiddling
present participle
verb (used without object)
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twiddles,
present (3rd person singular)
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twiddled,
past participle, past
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twiddling
present participle
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to play or trifle idly with something; fiddle.
-
to turn about lightly; twirl.
noun
idioms
verb
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to twirl or fiddle (with), often in an idle way
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to do nothing; be unoccupied
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(intr) to turn, twirl, or rotate
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rare (intr) to be occupied with trifles
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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twiddlesimple
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twiddlessimple
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have twiddledperfect
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has twiddledperfect
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am twiddlingprogressive
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are twiddlingprogressive
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is twiddlingprogressive
-
have been twiddlingperfect progressive
-
has been twiddlingperfect progressive
Past
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twiddledsimple
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had twiddledperfect
-
was twiddlingprogressive
-
were twiddlingprogressive
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had been twiddlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of twiddle
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"It's July 2023. Building out the leadership of that operation today, so they can sit around and twiddle their thumbs for the next six months would be nuts," he said.
From Reuters ● Jul. 18, 2023
After engaging the system, you can twiddle your toes and put your hands in the air like you just don’t care.
From New York Times ● Feb. 4, 2022
“Don’t wear a necklace if you’re tempted to twiddle it,” advised the paper.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 19, 2020
Michael Connelly’s detective is never one to twiddle thumbs, of course.
From Salon ● Apr. 13, 2019
When he heard her coming, he would lay aside his work, lean back, and twiddle his thumbs.
From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham
Abrasive, shallow and giddily watchable, her Wow Platinum — what a name! — twiddles her clawed fingers like a femme fatale dead certain she can charm her way to the top.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2025
Liberated from chronology and fact, the comedy-drama twiddles the timeline of Catherine’s career and marriage.
From New York Times ● Dec. 26, 2021
“We can’t afford to allow more devastation to be caused to the park while the Park Service twiddles their thumbs trying to come up with an expensive plan,” Gosar said in a statement this week.
From Washington Times ● Feb. 26, 2016
Eye blinks, finger twiddles, fidgeting — there’s no detail too small for the timer to add to the exposure sheet, ensuring the team in LA maximum control over what the South Korean animation studio delivers.
From The Verge ● Oct. 25, 2015
He twiddles his thumbs and takes a few measured breaths.
From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy
You could follow the text at the bottom of the screen, but most people just twiddled their thumbs and waited.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2025
They all largely twiddled their thumbs as accusations mounted that much was unhealthy in the GET-THIN campaign.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 17, 2021
Give me the name of an unexpected collaborator and chances are he’s twiddled knobs in their vicinity.
From The Guardian ● May 5, 2018
For 16 days, around 800,000 government employees twiddled their thumbs.
From Slate ● Apr. 20, 2014
Her gaze skipped from one spot to another, her fingers twiddled with the edge of her shirt.
From "The City of Ember" by Jeanne DuPrau
“It’s not like we’re twiddling our thumbs and trying to get some money. This is a very serious condition,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 14, 2026
Meanwhile Miami, which had been ranked behind Notre Dame, and like the Irish, had been inactive and twiddling thumbs over conference championship weekend, vaulted over South Bend.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 8, 2025
He first became familiar with them when he was sitting on a bus shortly after his release and saw people twiddling with smartphones.
From BBC ● Nov. 21, 2025
The court granted cert to the case on Wednesday, after twiddling its thumbs for 16 days, and it scheduled oral arguments for April 22.
From Slate ● Mar. 2, 2024
Marly looked at Daddy, and Daddy sat looking at the floor, twiddling his thumbs.
From "Miracles on Maple Hill" by Virginia Sorensen
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
