twiddle

[ˈtwɪd(ə)l]

twiddle Definition

• 1. to twist or move something repeatedly with your fingers, especially something small and not important
• 2. to play with something in a nervous or excited way
• 3. to make small adjustments to something in order to improve it

Using twiddle: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "twiddle" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

• Example

  She twiddled her hair while she waited for the bus.

• Example

  He twiddled his thumbs nervously during the interview.

• Example

  I spent hours twiddling with the settings on my computer.

• Example

  The engineer twiddled the knobs on the machine until it worked perfectly.

twiddle Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for twiddle

• fiddle
• fidget
• adjust
• tweak
• play

Antonyms for twiddle

• neglect
• leave alone

Phrases with twiddle

• twiddle one's thumbs

  to do nothing or wait idly

  Example

  I had to twiddle my thumbs for an hour before the doctor was ready to see me.

• twiddle with

  to play with or adjust something in a casual or idle manner

  Example

  She twiddled with the radio until she found a station she liked.

• twiddle sticks

  to play with two sticks as a form of entertainment or stress relief

  Example

  He likes to twiddle sticks when he's feeling anxious.

Origins of twiddle

from Middle English 'twistlen', meaning 'to twirl'

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Summary: twiddle in Brief

The verb 'twiddle' [ˈtwɪd(ə)l] means to repeatedly twist or move something small and unimportant with your fingers, play with something nervously or excitedly, or make small adjustments to improve something. It is often used in phrases like 'twiddle one's thumbs' or 'twiddle with,' and can be formalized as 'adjust' or 'manipulate.'