tinker with

Idioms  

1. Try to repair, work aimlessly or unskillfully with, as in He tinkered with the engine all day but it still wouldn't start. This idiom, first recorded in 1658, alludes to working as a tinker, that is, mending metal utensils.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tinker with

For a long time, I’d watched Paul tinker with the recipe for his perfect relationship.

From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026

The oil giant paid the smaller company $320 million over a decade to tinker with the genetic makeup of algae to try to distill enough oil to make the venture technically viable.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 31, 2026

While the authorities tinker with laws and competitions, they dare not meddle with the famous old Championship.

From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2026

Facing an overmatched opponent that allowed him to freely tinker with his lineups, Mick Cronin tried plenty of mixing and matching Tuesday afternoon.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2025

They constantly pick up unfamiliar things in the forest, tinker with them, and occasionally find them useful enough to bring home.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond