tinker
noun
a mender of pots, kettles, pans, etc., usually an itinerant.
were tinkering
-
past progressiveof tinker.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
When the boys were tinkering with tunes, they “ping-ponged” ideas with such joyful energy that people in adjoining offices could hear them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2025
During his summation, Steinglass pointed to a document that had been initialed by Trump and called it “explicit” proof of his knowing that his executives were tinkering with expenses to reduce their tax liabilities.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 6, 2022
“Generally speaking, shows that were tinkering about with the format. I remember seeing Airplane! in the cinema and thinking, ‘I didn’t know they made films like that, that’s the best film ever made!’
From The Guardian ● Jun. 1, 2019
Soon they were tinkering with synths and drum machines and posting tracks they created to MySpace, where they quickly attracted attention from managers and record labels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2015
The place was full of tourists who were tinkering with their cameras, getting ready to shoot pictures of the sunset.
From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen
