fiddle with

phrasal verb

fiddled with; fiddling with; fiddles with

1

: to move or handle (something) with the hands or fingers in a nervous way

She was nervously fiddling with her pencil as she waited for the test to start.

2

: to change or handle (something, such as the controls of a machine) in a way that shows one is not sure what to do

He was fiddling with the controls of the television, trying to get it to work.

3

: to change (something) in a harmful or foolish way

It became clear that someone had fiddled with the equipment.

Examples of fiddle with in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For the fiancées who fiddle with their hand jewelry, who often misplace their personal items, and who may have a job that requires them to remove their ring—this one’s for you. —Alexandra MacOn, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2024

The first crisp morning of the season sends your poor, perpetually cold loved one diving under the bedsheets, digging for the fuzzy socks, or fiddling with the thermostat when your back is turned. —Adrienne So, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2024

The Pathfinder band is fully magnetic, so there's no hardware to fiddle with. —Anthony Karcz, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024

He’s taken his watch off and is fiddling with it in his hands, eager again to get behind the wheel and zip through the desert’s dust. —Christopher Kamrani, The Athletic, 31 July 2024