fiddle with

phrasal-verb
UK: /ˈfɪdl̩ wɪð/
US: /ˈfɪdl̩ wɪθ/

  1. To touch or handle something in a nervous or restless way.

    1. He likes to fiddle with his keys when he is nervous.
    2. Don't fiddle with the equipment; you might break something important to research.

  2. To try to repair or improve something.

    1. I like to fiddle with cars in my spare time, it's relaxing.
    2. She's been trying to fiddle with the old radio, but she can't seem to fix it.

  3. To change something in a way that is not honest or legal.

    1. He was caught trying to fiddle with the accounts, what a bad man.
    2. The company was accused of fiddling with the data to improve its sales figures drastically.

Synonyms

adjust manipulate tamper with fake mess with falsify play with

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "fiddle with" in English means: To touch or handle something in a nervous or restless way., To try to repair or improve something., To change something in a way that is not honest or legal..

The phonetic transcription of "fiddle with" is /ˈfɪdl̩ wɪð/ in British English and /ˈfɪdl̩ wɪθ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "fiddle with": adjust, manipulate, tamper with, fake, mess with, falsify, play with.

Example usage of "fiddle with": "He likes to fiddle with his keys when he is nervous.". More examples on the page.