tinkered; tinkering
ˈtiŋ-k(ə-)riŋ 
: to work in the manner of a tinker
especially
: to repair, adjust, or work with something in an unskilled or experimental manner : fiddle
always tinkering with his car
: to repair, adjust, or experiment with
plural tinkers
1
a
: a usually itinerant mender of household utensils
b
: an unskillful mender : bungler
2
chiefly Ireland, sometimes offensive
: romani sense 1
Examples of tinker in a Sentence
Verb
He was tinkering in the garage.
Recent Examples on the Web
Eric Stephens, New York Times, 2 May 2025
Out of the box, there are four sync modes to choose from - Cinematic, Vibrant, Relaxation, and Rhythmic - or you can tinker with brightness, saturation, and color intensity to fine-tune the vibe.
—Paul Lamkin, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
History isn't kind to U.S. presidents who tinker with the Fed.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
Coaches are clearly tinkering with lineups and positions before having their full complement of players.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tinker
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
More roster tinkering around their core doesn’t feel like the answer.
—Eric Stephens, New York Times, 2 May 2025
Out of the box, there are four sync modes to choose from - Cinematic, Vibrant, Relaxation, and Rhythmic - or you can tinker with brightness, saturation, and color intensity to fine-tune the vibe.
—Paul Lamkin, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
History isn't kind to U.S. presidents who tinker with the Fed.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
Coaches are clearly tinkering with lineups and positions before having their full complement of players.
—Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tinker
Video
A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia
Some imitative words are more surprising than others
Cite this Entry
“Tinker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tinker. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tinker
1 of 2 noun
tin·ker
ˈtiŋ-kər
: a person who travels around and earns a living by repairing household utensils (as pots and pans)
tinker
2 of 2 verb
tinkered; tinkering
ˈtiŋ-k(ə-)riŋ
: to repair or adjust something in an unskilled or experimental manner
tinkering with his car
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share