tinkered; tinkering
ˈtiŋ-k(ə-)riŋ 
: to work in the manner of a tinker
especially
: to repair, adjust, or work with something in an unskilled or experimental manner : fiddle
always tinkering with his car
: to repair, adjust, or experiment with
plural tinkers
1
a
: a usually itinerant mender of household utensils
b
: an unskillful mender : bungler
2
chiefly Ireland, sometimes offensive
: romani sense 1
Synonyms
Examples of tinker in a Sentence
Verb
He was tinkering in the garage.
Recent Examples on the Web
Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2024
Elsewhere Apple has been tinkering with colors, resulting in a great-looking iMac.
—Wes Davis, The Verge, 4 Aug. 2024
Plus, why should Hale be overly concerned about tinkering with the music when Dylan songs have always been open to interpretation and change — especially by the songwriter himself.
—Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 1 Aug. 2024
For centuries, Congress has tinkered with how courts operate, including changing the number of appeals courts and the number of Supreme Court justices.
—Henry Gass, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for tinker 
Verb
When the battle begins, DJs can choose only from their short list, selecting different sections, tinkering with transitions and looping in different effects.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2024
Elsewhere Apple has been tinkering with colors, resulting in a great-looking iMac.
—Wes Davis, The Verge, 4 Aug. 2024
Plus, why should Hale be overly concerned about tinkering with the music when Dylan songs have always been open to interpretation and change — especially by the songwriter himself.
—Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 1 Aug. 2024
For centuries, Congress has tinkered with how courts operate, including changing the number of appeals courts and the number of Supreme Court justices.
—Henry Gass, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for tinker
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tinker.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Dictionary Entries Near tinker
Cite this Entry
“Tinker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tinker. Accessed 18 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tinker
1 of 2 noun
tin·ker
ˈtiŋ-kər
: a person who travels around and earns a living by repairing household utensils (as pots and pans)
tinker
2 of 2 verb
tinkered; tinkering
ˈtiŋ-k(ə-)riŋ
: to repair or adjust something in an unskilled or experimental manner
tinkering with his car
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