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Showing results for "fiddling"
  • present participle of fiddle.
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Synonyms

fiddling

American  
[fid-ling] / ˈfɪd lɪŋ /

adjective

  1. trifling; trivial.

    a fiddling sum of money.


fiddling British  
/ ˈfɪdlɪŋ /

adjective

  1. trifling or insignificant; petty

  2. another word for fiddly

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of fiddling

late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; see origin at fiddle, -ing 2


Vocabulary lists containing fiddling

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:

I’m traditionally more resistant to playwrights fiddling around with Shakespeare than I am with them updating Greek tragedy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026

So rather than address the fundamentals behind higher yields, Bessent has turned to fiddling with the bond market itself.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

Google Calendar provides a “secret address” in settings so you can avoid any API fiddling.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 3, 2026

Neville is skeptical that businesses will be fiddling around with AI products to create their own cybersecurity.

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 27, 2026

I caught the words “a barrel falling over in the warehouse” and “someone fiddling with the door.”

From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank

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