TINKERING Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

tinkering

verb

present participle of tinker

as in diddling (with)

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tinkering

Verb

Companies across the industry have been idling facilities, with Suntory pausing production at one of Jim Beamâ€™s three Kentucky distilleries to upgrade the site while demand is low.

— Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Diesel engine idling and high-risk industrial activity across the street from homes and parks would bring air, noise and light pollution.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of idling

Verb

Kids who used to run to the field excited to play, suddenly started loafing to the field wearing their crocs with their heads buried in their phones.

— Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026
The pair had been loafing for some time among a grove of apple trees on a private residence in Payson.

— Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 20 Feb. 2026

Definition of loafing

Verb

Gvardiol looked jittery early on, rallied a little to break up some dangerous Porto attacks, but then started giving the ball away again and was booked for a needless pull after being caught dawdling in possession.

— Thom Harris, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Further, there’s no excuse for Congress to continue dawdling on farm policy.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025

Definition of dawdling

Verb

There’s also an outdoor shower for a quick rinse and multiple lounging spaces both in and out of the sun.

— Rachel Fletcher, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Oct. 2026
Separate areas for lounging, dining and a drinks station, anchored by rugs, planter clusters or furniture changes, will become the default design brief.

— Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of lounging

Verb

The whole thing plays like something concocted by an 8th grader sitting in the back of biology class and doodling movie ideas in his notebook, offering more proof that Besson has never quite risen above the juvenile tendencies of his early years.

— Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
While some might show their boredom by doodling on paper or playing on their phone, this pilot took his message to new heights – roughly 1,100 feet (335 meters).

— Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 14 July 2026

Definition of doodling

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.

Cite this Entry

Style

“Tinkering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tinkering. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of tinkering

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes