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Phrasal verbs "faff around" vs "fiddle around"

Differences between faff around and fiddle around

Faff around and fiddle around are both informal phrasal verbs that mean to waste time or procrastinate, but faff around is more commonly used to describe aimless or unproductive activity, while fiddle around can also refer to tinkering with something in a playful or experimental way.

Meanings and Definitions: faff around vs fiddle around

Learn how to use these expressions through these examples

Faff around

  • 1Behave indecisively.

    She told him to stop FAFFING AROUND and make his mind up.

Fiddle around

  • 1Waste time doing silly things, or unsuccessful things.

    I FIDDLED AROUND with the phone but couldn't get any signal.

  • 2Make small movements with your hands.

    He FIDDLED AROUND for something in his pockets.

Usage Examples: faff around, fiddle around in Sentences

Learn how to use these expressions through these examples

faff around

Example

Stop faffing around and start working on your project.

Example

He always faffs around before getting to work.

fiddle around

Example

She likes to fiddle around with her hair when she's nervous.

Example

He fiddles around with his keys when he's waiting.

Similar Expressions(Synonyms) of Faff around

mess about

To waste time doing unimportant or unproductive things.

Example

He spent the whole day messing about on his phone instead of studying for his exams.

idle away

To spend time doing nothing useful or productive.

Example

She idled away the afternoon watching TV instead of working on her project.

kill time

To spend time doing something unimportant or unproductive while waiting for something else.

Example

We decided to kill time by playing cards while we waited for our flight.

Similar Expressions(Synonyms) of Fiddle around

tinker with

To make small changes or adjustments to something in a playful or experimental way.

Example

He likes to tinker with old electronics and see if he can fix them up.

play around with

To experiment with something in a playful or casual way.

Example

She enjoys playing around with different makeup looks and styles.

mess around with

To experiment with something in a playful or casual way, often with the intention of causing mischief.

Example

He was messing around with the settings on his friend's phone and accidentally deleted all their contacts.

Explore more Phrasal Verbs

Here are some phrasal verbs with the same verbs or particles

Phrasal Verbs with “faff”

Phrasal Verbs with “fiddle”

Phrasal Verbs with “around”

Differences in faff around vs fiddle around: Usage, Formality, and Tone

Frequency in Daily Use: faff around or fiddle around?

Both faff around and fiddle around are informal phrases that are more common in British English than American English. However, faff around is slightly more common in everyday conversation.

Informal vs Formal: Contextual Use of faff around and fiddle around

Neither faff around nor fiddle around are formal expressions, and they are not appropriate for use in professional or academic contexts. Instead, it's better to use more formal expressions like 'procrastinate' or 'waste time'.

Tone and Implication: The Nuances of faff around and fiddle around

The tone of faff around is often negative, suggesting that the person is wasting time or being unproductive. On the other hand, fiddle around can have a more playful or experimental tone, especially when referring to tinkering with something.

faff around & fiddle around: Synonyms and Antonyms

Faff around

Synonyms

Fiddle around

Synonyms

Antonyms

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