Synonyms of fiddle

fiddle 1 of 2

verb

1

as in to fidget

to make jerky or restless movements

the executive fiddled with a pen as she impatiently waited for the meeting to begin

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fidget
• toss
• twitch
• jerk
• squirm
• twist
• wiggle
• jig
• jiggle
• shake
• writhe
• tremble
• shiver
• wriggle
• thrash
• thresh
• flit
• squiggle
• flutter
• quiver
• shudder
• quake
• pace
• twitter

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rest
• relax
• unwind
• calm (down)
• still

2

as in to cheat

to rob by the use of trickery or threats

conscienceless grifters who had spent their lives fiddling the naive

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cheat
• squeeze
• pluck
• stick
• hustle
• screw
• beat
• sting
• do
• diddle
• trick
• bleed
• shake down
• deceive
• swindle
• euchre
• sucker
• stiff
• rip off
• short
• skin
• chouse
• chisel
• con
• defraud
• gaff
• victimize
• rook
• fleece
• nobble
• ream
• mulct
• exploit
• flimflam
• shortchange
• bilk
• cozen
• take for a ride
• fool
• hose
• skunk
• thimblerig
• wrench
• take to the cleaners
• clip
• sell a bill of goods to
• betray
• do in
• extort
• wring
• soak
• nick
• gouge
• milk
• wrest
• bitch
• gull
• rope (in)
• overcharge
• dupe
• double-cross
• bamboozle
• fast-talk

fiddle

2 of 2

noun

ˈfi-dᵊl 

1

as in nuts

language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense

oh, fiddle! I've heard that excuse a thousand times before

Synonyms & Similar Words

• nuts
• nonsense
• garbage
• jazz
• drool
• rubbish
• blah
• silliness
• stupidity
• muck
• beans
• bunk
• fudge
• fiddlesticks
• punk
• blither
• absurdity
• trash
• blatherskite
• rot
• twaddle
• craziness
• guff
• foolishness
• claptrap
• insanity
• crock
• baloney
• trumpery
• fiddle-faddle
• madness
• bull
• flapdoodle
• folderol
• bosh
• applesauce
• hokum
• humbuggery
• taradiddle
• balderdash
• bilge
• malarkey
• blather
• absurdness
• bunkum
• blarney
• piffle
• hokeypokey
• hogwash
• tosh
• tommyrot
• moonshine
• drivel
• nerts
• horsefeathers
• poppycock
• codswallop
• hoodoo
• folly
• hooey
• humbug
• crapola
• flannel
• idiocy
• tomfoolery
• gas
• slush
• senselessness
• foolery
• kookiness
• monkey business
• greek
• inaneness
• rigmarole
• inanity
• lunacy
• imbecility
• hot air
• shenanigan(s)
• witlessness
• fatuity
• monkeyshine(s)
• hocus-pocus
• asininity
• double-talk
• hoity-toity

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reasonableness
• rationality
• common sense
• sense
• horse sense
• sensibleness
• judgment
• levelheadedness
• wisdom
• reasonability
• discernment

2

as in scam

chiefly British an instance of the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value

the e-mail was another one of those fiddles from some supposed millionaire seeking to transfer funds out of his country

Synonyms & Similar Words

• scam
• con
• fraud
• swindle
• shell game
• bunco
• scheme
• trick
• device
• flimflam
• sting
• hoax
• hustle
• cross
• jig
• racket
• fix
• pyramid scheme
• Ponzi scheme
• counterfeit
• dodge
• wile
• soaking
• stratagem
• forgery
• gouging
• ploy
• fake
• thimblerig
• gimmick
• three-card monte
• sham
• rip-off
• sleight
• phony
• overcharging
• humbug

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of fiddle

Verb

These are sophisticated push-button machines designed to take the faff and fiddle out of making good coffee at home—anything for an easy life. — Chris Haslam, Wired News, 8 May 2026

The contract model means that when Congress fiddles, it isn’t impacted. — The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 22 Mar. 2026

Noun

The song features Alison Brown on banjo, Becky Buller on fiddle, Sierra Hull on mandolin, Missy Raines on bass and Molly Tuttle on guitar. — Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

None of them even knew there are no figs on a fiddle leaf fig tree. — Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026

Phrases Containing fiddle

• fiddle (around)
• fiddle (with)
• fiddle away