1
as in twitching
to grasp and move with a small forceful motion
Hey, you tweaked my nose!
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2
as in adjusting
to make small adjustments to
You can tweak the settings to customize the display. He spent considerable time tweaking the recipe.
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3
as in mocking
to make (someone or something) the object of criticism, amusement, or laughter
They're always tweaking me about my northern accent.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tweaking
Boone said that Carlos Rodón threw again Wednesday after tweaking his hamstring on Monday.
—
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026
And just like natural hormone swings can throw your sleep off-kilter, so too can tweaking your hormonal BC, for instance shifting to a different combination pill or to or from a hormonal intrauterine device (IUD).
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 24 Mar. 2026
Jumanji 3 is tweaking its year-end holiday release plans.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026
Try tweaking your routine in more slight and subtle ways, like showering with cooler water than usual.
—Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 23 Mar. 2026
Workers have been installing and tweaking new LED lights on Reunion Tower, March 19, 2026.
—Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 2026
Tiny Goliath Trounces an Even Tinier David<\/h2>PC Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026
While that hesitation is healthy (generally, reimagining your routine as often as social media encourages isn’t always best), turns out there is actual merit to tweaking your products along with the evolving seasons.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 19 Mar. 2026
Given that numerous drivers expressed concerns about the new rules in Melbourne, with some going so far as to point out safety aspects about how this impacts racing, tweaking the rules and changing how the engines work isn’t off the table, either.
—Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026
And just like natural hormone swings can throw your sleep off-kilter, so too can tweaking your hormonal BC, for instance shifting to a different combination pill or to or from a hormonal intrauterine device (IUD).
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 24 Mar. 2026
Jumanji 3 is tweaking its year-end holiday release plans.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 24 Mar. 2026
Try tweaking your routine in more slight and subtle ways, like showering with cooler water than usual.
—Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 23 Mar. 2026
Workers have been installing and tweaking new LED lights on Reunion Tower, March 19, 2026.
—Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 2026
Tiny Goliath Trounces an Even Tinier David<\/h2>While the iPad will continue to help the average user get by with paying the bills or writing their next breakout sci-fi novel, while maybe even tweaking some family photos, the MacBook Neo’s superior processor does it all better.
—PC Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026
While that hesitation is healthy (generally, reimagining your routine as often as social media encourages isn’t always best), turns out there is actual merit to tweaking your products along with the evolving seasons.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 19 Mar. 2026
Given that numerous drivers expressed concerns about the new rules in Melbourne, with some going so far as to point out safety aspects about how this impacts racing, tweaking the rules and changing how the engines work isn’t off the table, either.
—Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tweaking
Verb
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Curry’s body began convulsing and twitching with increasing severity, consistent with him sustaining a traumatic brain injury from being punched in the face, documents state.—
Deborah Laverty,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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Afternoon Ben Thanh Market is Hồ Chí Minh’s biggest market – a vast maze of 1,500 stalls selling everything from still-twitching fish to electronics and souvenirs.—
Tamara Hinson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As Kaiko continues adjusting to life indoors, Turner hopes her story will help others recognize the long‑term consequences of unethical breeding—and the difference a safe, loving home can make.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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Of course, other settings for adding profile pictures to agents' profiles and adjusting their permissions also require attention.—
John Brandon,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Social media is reacting to the latest skit by comedian Druski, mocking women in right-leaning political spaces.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
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People created memes and videos mocking Roan for mistreating children.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The woman in the chitenge was, by then, standing next to the cop, pinching her neck with one hand, dangling a set of keys in the other.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Mar. 2026
-
What's a penny-pinching grandparent to do?—
Lynne Sullivan,
The Providence Journal,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Letters are subject to editing for clarity and length.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
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Keep it light and clever, yet commit to a piece long enough to actually wrap it, whether that means editing your podcast or rehearsing your lines once.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks have been back on speaking terms for a few months thanks to the rerelease of their debut album, Buckingham Nicks, and now the diva himself is teasing that 2026 could serve as a reunion of sorts for the famously estranged exes.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
27 Mar. 2026
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There was no indication of the context of the posts, which racked up millions of views, with many online commenters theorizing the accounts could have been hacked or that an official was cryptically teasing something.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Structure information summary Most structures in this region are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
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The fine powder is very messy to work with, however, so simply shaking it onto your chain wouldn't be practical.—
Ben Coxworth
March 27,
New Atlas,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At Tuesday’s meeting, Stillwell was unable to secure sufficient support for a moratorium on data centers in Sugar Grove, but the board did find some consensus on establishing zoning changes while the village looks at modifying its existing regulations.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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Parents are paying attention For parents facing accusations of irresponsible gun practices, the potential loss of custody should provide a strong incentive for modifying their gun behavior.—
Marcia Zug,
The Conversation,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tweaking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tweaking. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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