tinker with

Idioms

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.

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:

tinker with

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

From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026

While her kids watch TV, Acheson likes to tinker with Claude.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 5, 2026

Waiting could pay off for people who want more in their paychecks instead of big refunds — but who don’t want to tinker with their withholdings.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 19, 2025

Whether Mitchell continues to tinker with his side is less predictable, as he continues to develop his winning-machine in the year that will define his side's success.

From BBC ● Mar. 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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023