diddling

verb

Definition of diddlingnext
present participle of diddle
1
as in delaying
to move or act slowly even though the hurricane was fast approaching, federal and local politicians wasted precious time diddling

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cheating
to rob by the use of trickery or threats an unscrupulous Broadway producer diddles little old ladies by persuading them to invest in a surefire flop

Synonyms & Similar Words

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for diddling
  1. cheating
  2. poking
  3. lingering
  4. playing
  5. beating
  6. doing
Verb
  • This might seem like cheating, but both.
    Billboard Japan, Billboard, 21 Oct. 2024
  • Neither of the two has ever confirmed that the reason for their breakup was indeed cheating, and Garfield and Stone remain friends to this day.
    Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 21 Oct. 2024
Definition of cheating
Verb
  • For all of what Russell is and has been, Monday was possibly his most self-aware, poking fun at his frequent stints on the trade block, owning his supreme confidence on the offensive end and his struggles on the other side of the court.
    Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2024
  • Spirit Halloween is hitting back at Saturday Night Live, who aired a sketch poking fun at the costume store.
    Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2024
Definition of poking
Verb
  • The scene includes a lingering shot of Whiting’s bare buttocks and a glimpse of Hussey’s naked breasts.
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 21 Oct. 2024
  • Some of her reserve is, no doubt, a lingering effect of her confirmation process.
    Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024
Definition of lingering
Verb
  • According to Hayes & The Heathens, the group began developing the concept of a festival after playing in the small Texas town together, known for its country music scene, back in October 2023.
    Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 4 Oct. 2024
  • But despite dolphins’ playful reputation, their facial expressions during play had never been investigated before, though studies have established that other mammals, like humans and monkeys, communicate with open-mouthed, smile-like expressions when playing.
    Issy Ronald, CNN, 4 Oct. 2024
Definition of playing
Verb
  • But beating the Eagles — on the road and in a short week — would certify Washington in a way the previous 10 weeks haven’t.
    Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
  • The finance sector has had a blowout year, with major banks beating expectations on strong revenue growth, continued net interest income strength, and favorable projections through year’s end and into 2025.
    Rocio Fabbro, Quartz, 13 Nov. 2024
Definition of beating
Verb
  • That might look like doing the dishes, going for a quick jog, or sorting through unread emails piling up in your inbox.
    Jenna Ryu, SELF, 4 Oct. 2024
  • If that’s not disappointing enough, Google is also now teasing that Android 16 will start doing the developer rounds much earlier than usual, which will raise the question as to how Samsung can catch up, given its Android 15 is behind.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
Definition of doing
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near diddling

diddlies

diddling

diddling (with)

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Diddling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diddling. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

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